Under the Same Stars
by noblecrescent
Summary: As they wait for the arrival of their long lost son, Klaus & his family face the prophecy spelling death for them all. Meanwhile, Maleny comes face to face with a past left buried within her thousand lives. Against their enemies & losses, Maleny & Klaus come up with a new promise: they will come back to each other in the end. First, they must save each other.
1. Welcome Back

**_Author's Note:_** _Hello and welcome to my second story involving my OC Maleny Rowan (pronounced as ' Mah-leh-nee') and Klaus Mikaelson. For any new readers I would recommend you go back to the first story (titled The Girl in the Forest) which is in my profile so that you can understand where Maleny came from and how she came to be. You don't have to, just a recommendation! This story will cover the entire season 3 of the Originals with my own modifications. _

_For visual references, I imagine Maleny to look like the actress **Angelique Boyer** in her blonde days. _

_Also, a new addition I'm implementing in my future stories is a song that fits the theme of the story. In this case, the song is **Wish That You Were Here by Florence + the Machine**._

 _Enjoy the story!_

* * *

The Quarter was having a relatively calm night, as had been the custom for several months now. No one could have ever guessed there had almost been yet another battle among the supernatural. Thankfully, everything had calmed and although there there were still unresolved issues, there was no more threats coming to the Mikaelsons.

Well, perhaps Klaus could think of one but it was no threat to others besides him. He had forgotten how chatty Maleny could be when she learned new things, or was simply excited.

"And did you know they made chocolate _red_!? That is so weird!" Maleny laughed, while flipping through a magazine. "And then I heard about what humans really think vampires are!" she laughed again, "Do you know you're supposed to _glitter_ outside?"

Klaus seemingly paid more attention to the bed covers' edges than her. Maleny was straddled over him, holding a magazine in her hands, and rapidly telling him all she was discovering of the new world. Frankly, that was not what he pictured when he'd suggested they move back to his room earlier in the day.

After a while, Klaus snatched the magazine from her hands, tossing it over the bed. Maleny pouted and gave him a glare, "I was reading that! And you weren't listening!"

"I was, selectively," Klaus said calmly, languidly turning his head to her. He moved up halfway to meet her 'pout' and proved that he was, indeed, listening. "You want to try the red chocolate, you can't believe they put pineapple on pizzas, the fact there's reversible sweaters bewilders you and yes, I did know of that ridiculous glittering rule."

Maleny stared at him a full two minutes before teasingly smiling, "Hmm…" she put her hands over his shirtless chest, "...all I heard was you watched that Twilight movie."

"I would rather dagger myself than ever watch that," Klaus rolled his eyes, "Humans are idiots."

"So broody," Maleny continued to tease, "How do I make that go away?"

"I have some... _suggestions_..." Klaus passed a hand down her hair and to her arm.

Maleny chuckled. They had somewhere to be yet they had fooled around for quite some time, and now he was less than half-dressed and she was still in sleeping garments. "While that is mighty tempting, I want to read a little more. Every accomplishment these humans have made is amazing. Is it true there's an actual place in Europe where the streets are full of _water_? And people have to literally sail on boats to get through?"

Klaus nodded, "Venice is quite beautiful. I suppose you'll have to see for yourself when we visit."

Maleny's eyes lighted up at the insinuation, "We're...we're gonna go? Are you serious?"

"Of course," Klaus reached to run a hand down her loose hair, "I was thinking of a family trip for when Nicolas came home."

"Ooh, I like the idea," Maleny gasped at the idea.

"I thought you would…"

"I do," Maleny grinned, giving him a kiss. One kiss soon turned into a second, which then turned into a third, and suddenly Maleny found herself being flipped over. She now gazed at a smirking hybrid above her, "Don't we have an art exhibit to go to? _Your_ art exhibit?" she innocently questioned.

"It can wait a little while more," Klaus pressed another kiss to her lips, soon turning into dozens more.

~ 0 ~

Amarrah Collins grimly walked alongside Vincent Griffith down a street where police lights were flashing and brightening up the 'do not cross' tape that covered nearly half the street.

The French witch sighed as they grew closer to the crime scene, "Tell me again why it is you decided to call _me_ in?"

"Well," Vincent coughed awkwardly, "to be honest, my first choice was Cami but she's not answering-"

"She wouldn't," Amarrah agreed with a small smile, "She's a bit busy dealing with the matters of this Quarter. Seeing as she's now controlling it, she's got a lot to deal with."

Vincent threw her a playful glare, "Oh, and she's a bigshot now?"

"Hey," Amarrah elbowed him on his side, "she's doing good and you have to acknowledge that."

"True, true," Vincent nodded, "I thought because of her psychology experience she would have some insight on this crime. But you're not so bad, seeing as you were an officer in your days?"

"Detective," Amarrah corrected with a smirk.

"Ooh, maybe you're better than Cami," Vincent shared a chuckle with her. "Now listen, me and all the P.D. have a relationship that goes back to that nastiness with my ex-wife. I'm their expert in anything that even seems occult. And every so often, they come across the aftermath of some black magic and they call me in."

"Hmm, and I'm to assume they've ran into something even _you_ haven't seen yet?"

Amarrah's question was never answered as they turned for an alley where they were greeted by a blonde man, presumably a detective. "Is this your friend the shrink?" he nodded to Amarrah who frowned at such a distasteful greeting.

"Hey, I'm a Detective and you need to learn some manners," she gave him a pointed finger.

Amused, the man smiled, "Detective? From overseas? Well, you should have said so."

"You didn't exactly give me a chance," Amarrah slightly lightened up. "I'm Amarrah Collins."

The man took her hand to shake and introduced himself as well, "Detective Will Kinney. Now, I'm not trying to be rude but I was really hoping the shrink would be here."

"Technically not a shrink," Amarrah clarified, "And she's a bit busy. But I'm pretty good myself with strange cases. What am I doing here?"

"It's an impressionable sight," Will warned as he led Amarrah and Vincent further down the alley.

"Oh believe me when I say I have seen impressionable sights all my life," Amarrah shared a look with Vincent, almost laughing at the irony. However, once they passed a dumpster and saw the corpse, the smile vanished from her face. "Although this would be a first…"

"Maybe now you would consider having your almost-shrink friend looking into this," Will patted her arm before leaving the two.

"Clearly a vampire," Amarrah announced several minutes after the Detective had left.

The victim was a middle-aged man, dressed in a fancy black suit. He had his wrists and elbows held up by ropes, making him seem like a puppet. What had horrified Amarrah was the gruesome, wide slash the man had from ear to ear, still dripping fresh blood.

"Which one, precisely?" Vincent raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, we'll have to figure that out ourselves," Amarrah gulped but could not, for the life of her, take her eyes off the corpse.

While unpleasant, Amarrah found traits she could easily identify from a vampire. She didn't know whether to thank the Mikaelsons for her newfound knowledge of the vampire world or be ashamed of herself for being unfazed with the work before her.

"Well, I'm no forensic psychologist, but whoever did this took their time," she started making conclusions to Vincent, "He bled- a lot- which means he was alive... but it was like he just stood here. These ropes are just for display," she gestured, "He wasn't bound- there are no marks on his wrists, no signs of struggling or clawing…"

"He was _compelled_ ," Vincent said what she had been trying to get at, "Maybe Rich-Boy pissed off the wrong vampire."

Detective Kinney came back to join them at the moment and cut off any vampire talk immediately. "How are you guys doing over here? Tell me you got something."

Amarrah quickly came up with a less supernatural conclusion. "It seems methodical. Precise. The wounds might have a special meaning to the killer. Not a formal ritual, but intentional. And, the things we do on purpose, we tend to repeat."

"Well," Kinney looked mildly impressed with her work, "that's not going to bode well for us."

"I'm afraid not," Amarrah agreed with a resigned sigh. She knew the next person they would have to talk to.

~ 0 ~

Now dressed in a white blouse and leather black pants, Maleny strode into the lounge room where Freya was sat on the ground with Hope, attending to her. "You forgot this, Freya," Maleny said, holding a small golden necklace as she joined the two.

"Sorry, I forgot to put it back on her when I took her out of the bath," Freya apologized and moved to handle the matter herself when Maleny waved with a hand she would do it herself.

Maleny pushed her recently curled hair behind her shoulders and got on her knees. "It's fine," she sat back on her legs and gently put the necklace around Hope's neck, "There we go, sweetheart," she kissed the toddler's head. "Now you be sure to show that to your Mummy again, alright?" she raised the necklace's locket and opened it up, revealing a picture of Hayley inside, "Who's that, Hope? Mummy. It's your Mummy."

Freya watched the toddler intently stare at the picture inside the locket. Since breaking Hayley's curse had turned out to be much more difficult than was assumed, Maleny had taken all measures so that Hope never forget who her mother was. The necklace had been a gift from her, and every chance she got she made sure to show the picture of Hayley to Hope.

After a while, Hope looked up from the locket and squealed as she reached for Maleny's golden necklace. Maleny laughed and picked her up, "Excuse you, young lady, I had this one," she pointed to Hope's locket, "bought for you so you could leave mine alone."

Hope paid no more attention as she gripped Maleny's necklace. She babbled to herself instead.

Maleny sighed and looked up at Freya, "Kids…"

Freya knew the word meant millions for the blonde, and especially now considering that Nicolas had made no such appearance nor contact. While Maleny tried to keep strong and simply wait, it was getting more difficult. To say, even Klaus often found himself impatient and broody over the subject. Their patient was slimming and Freya wondered when the couple would reach their breaking point and go in search for Nicolas themselves.

"So, where exactly are you headed?" Freya then asked as an attempt to disway any bad feelings. "If I'm correct Klaus' artwork doesn't open to the public until tomorrow night."

"He says he wants to give me a private tour," Maleny smiled deviously, instantly making Freya raise a hand and stop her.

"Spare me the details or I jump out," she warned. Maleny laughed at the antics but didn't continue.

Elijah walked in at that moment and smiled at the sight of his niece, probably the only thing that managed to make him smile nowadays.

Maleny smiled at him, "You wanted to hold her?"

"No, no, um…" Elijah seemed restless, unable to decide what it was he wanted. In another time, it would have surprised Maleny, but knowing what had happened between him and Cami, it had become a rather usual thing for him.

Freya exchanged a look with Maleny, and partly to help her brother, she offered a distraction, "Were you coming in to make plans for tomorrow? It's the full moon and I assume you want me to go with you?"

"I'd offer myself but…" Maleny made a face, "...I don't think Hayley's quite ready to see me yet. I bet she's still pissed - and with great motives."

Elijah didn't exactly want to agree with her and make her feel worse, so he simply waved a hand and said back, "I thought tomorrow I could just take Hope myself. Give you a night off," he looked at Freya.

"Are you sure _you_ don't deserve a night off?" Freya challenged, "Perhaps several days off...or a week…?"

Elijah looked to the side, aggravated the same thing was being offered to him - take a break from the Quarter. "No, I'm fine, thank you," and with that, he left the room.

Freya shook her head and walked to the couch, plopping down, "Poor brother, he's suffering a lot."

"Yeah, well, he's not the only one," Maleny reminded.

"But it's her fault, you know," Freya shrugged.

"No, it's not. Cami's angry too, and she's hurt. It's gonna be some time before either can move on from what happened."

"If you ask me, I think Cami's doing a lot better than Elijah," Freya gave the blonde a hard look, more inclined to defend her brother. "She's taken the reigns of the city and hasn't remotely directed a word to Elijah, me, or even Klaus. It's like she's trying to forget we exist and frankly I find that rude."

Maleny playfully rolled her eyes, "Oh, Freya, if you knew the Cami _I_ knew, you would see she's barely keeping herself from falling apart."

~ 0 ~

The following morning, the newest leader of the Quarter had gotten up early to train with Marcel at St. Ann's church. The place had been remodeled into a training gym for anyone interested no matter vampire, wolf, witch, human, etc. At the center of the place stood a large cage made of chain-link fence (and reinforced with steel for those tougher visitors). This was where Cami and Marcel currently were, sparring with each other. Marcel was having quite a surprise as Cami nearly managed to get him from one angle. She ultimately pinned him to the fence.

"How's that?" she grinned ecstatically.

Marcel arched an eyebrow, using Cami's momentary distraction to turn the tables over and pin her to the wall. "Now I told you, don't get cocky," he laughed and released the blonde from his neck hold.

Cami rolled her eyes but smiled anyways, "My bad."

"But you are getting far better," Marcel praised sincerely after a minute, "You've improved over these months and I'm proud of you. You'd be quite the challenge in a real fight."

Cami light heartedly nodded her thanks. Although she hadn't explicitly told Marcel the reason for her endeavoring to train harder, he had already made the assumption it was to make sure no one would ever so easily snap her neck anymore - no one would ever break her again.

"Although," Marcel's voice pulled Cami from her thoughts, "if you do get into a fight, you'd have a hell of a backup with the guys," he nodded over to the other vampires working out in the room.

Cami rolled her eyes, "They're not an army. And I wish you'd stop calling them that," she laughed, "One of these days they'll take it seriously."

"C'mon, just a little joke between a previous city holder to the new one," Marcel nudged her, both sharing another laugh.

"You could have been with me, both of us looking after the Quarter," Cami sobered up and warmly looked at her friend, "And the offer still stands, you know. I don't know much about politics and you definitely know how to keep things in order."

Marcel shook his head, patting Cami on the arm. "It's better this way. If I were to take back the Quarter, sooner or later Klaus would endeavor to take the crown again. There's just too much tension boiling. At least with you, we know Klaus wouldn't, and couldn't, hurt you even if he wanted to."

Cami chuckled lightly, shaking her head disappointingly. She had kept her words to Amarrah and done what she could to help more people out. After officially quitting school, she kept the long-ago promise she made Elijah and took her place at the factions meetings. Although it was tough to convince the other faction leaders, which now also included Davina (being Regent of the witch covens), agreed to let her lead the city in a peaceful manner, both for humans and vampires. Because of her, the Quarter had had many months of peace.

That wasn't to say _she_ had much peace, however.

"Cami?" Amarrah called as soon as she and Vincent came into the place. Cami nodded and walked out of the fighting ring, along with Marcel, and headed to the two mortals. "We have a problem," Amarrah announced while Vincent pulled out his cellphone. "Last night there was a murder and we're pretty sure it was a vampire."

"Or _vampires_ ," Vincent made sure to add in. He handed the phone now showing the pictures of victim, which Cami took and began to swipe through as she and Marcel studied the injuries.

"Gnarly stuff," Marcel sighed, already beginning to assume who could have done the murder.

"Yeah, the guy was torn apart," Amarrah shook her head, "I mean, there are no obvious puncture wounds, but whoever did that had to be a vampire. And nobody heard any screams, so he had to have been compelled to just stand there and suffer."

"Since when are you into this stuff?" Cami raised an eyebrow, curiously looking between the two.

"I'm a Detective, remember?" Amarrah laughed, "They were looking for you but got me instead."

Marcel stuck to the subject more seriously and handed back the phone to Vincent, " You think this was us? The guys know better than to leave a body in the streets."

Vincent didn't seem to buy it as he gestured to the other vampires in the room, "How well do you know your guys?"

"It doesn't make sense for us to leave dead bodies on the streets," Cami cut in, "That would eventually get into the headlines which would make tourism drop. We don't mess with our food supply, Vincent."

"Maybe someone new lost control?" Amarrah offered an alternative that could very well be plausible.

"Maybe you guys should consider that our guys aren't the only vampires in town."

Amarrah then frowned, even Cami understanding the implication, "You don't think this was work from the Mikaelsons?"

"They're a hot mess whether they want to admit it or not," Marcel put his hands in a neutral manner, "Klaus has 'patiently' been waiting for the arrival of his long lost son who still hasn't even made contacts. And Elijah…" Marcel cast a sideways glance to the blonde vampire beside him, who was already shifting awkwardly, "...kinda had trouble of his own," he left it at that out of consideration for Cami. "Pick one."

"They wouldn't," Amarrah declared, far more sure than the other three with them. Frankly, she was surprised Cami could believe that.

"Listen, I know you all like to think Maleny can control Klaus but the truth is sooner or later he'll cut loose because that's just who he is," Marcel shrugged, not sorry to say the utter truth - at least his view on it anyways. "This is some wicked fairy tale you all like to think, but if you want a real suspect go to the compound."

As Marcel turned to leave, Amarrah mumbled a couple words to Vincent and he walked out as well. Afterwards, Amarrah sharply looked at Cami, seriously asking, "You don't actually think Elijah could do this right?"

Shifting to her side, Cami quietly answered, "I don't know."

The answer didn't seem to please Amarrah, in fact it almost made her angry. "You're not gonna let these feelings cloud your mind are you? It wouldn't be fair."

"Oh none of this is fair," Cami waved a hand at the witch, "I'm only saying that maybe, for a moment, one of them lost control. I'm not accusing them, it's just an idea."

"You're such a liar," Amarrah rolled her eyes, "I'll let you know what else I come up with Vincent. And don't worry, I won't tell Mal any of this nonsense you and Marcel just uttered."

Cami playfully rolled her eyes and waved goodbye to the French witch, choosing to forget the moment they had just passed through. That was what she tended to do nowadays anyways when it came to the Mikaelsons - forget and move on.

~ 0 ~

"Oooh, I like your dress, Miss Mikaelson," Maleny laughed as Freya quickly looked down to her going-out dress as if she'd forgotten what she'd put on.

The two blondes were in the courtyard, Maleny coming down from the stairs, while Freya looked into her bag for her last things before going out.

"You clean up nice yourself, Miss Rowan," Freya winked.

"I don't know, is this what you wear to an art exhibit?" Maleny chuckled sheepishly as she looked down at herself, truthfully unsure. She had opted for a tight dark blue dress that reached above her knees with an open black jacket over it.

"Don't know, but it goes great at a party," Freya nudged her with a smirk, "You said you'd come with me the next time I went to one."

"Ooh, I did say that, huh?" Maleny made a face, clearly remembering the promise she made to Freya after having to decline the same type of offer in favor of a dinner with Cami and Amarrah.

"Get away from my date, Freya," Klaus warned as he approached the two blondes from the downstairs corridors. "She's already said 'yes' to me a long while ago."

"Also true," Maleny pointed to him in thought, "Oh dear…"

"Lighten up," Freya momentarily frowned, "She can come to my party first and then go to your exhibit."

"Or," Klaus gave her a smirk, as they probably assumed what he would say next, "she could go to the exhibit...and stay there."

"She said yes to me before she said 'yes' to you!"

"Okay then," Maleny cut in between the two siblings, holding her arms out to keep the two from continuing arguing, "How about I go to Freya first, party a little, and then I meet you at your exhibit and stay there for as long as you like?"

"Maleny," Klaus tilted his head, his tone implying he wasn't quite agreeing with her.

Maleny turned to Klaus, languidly draping her arms over his shoulders, "Oh c'mon, your sister doesn't know the city as much as I do. I'm there, one hour, two hours and then I switch venues...where I will be all yours."

"Oh, brother," Freya muttered under her breath, almost gagging at the sight.

"Using your charms will one day fail you," Klaus warned her while pushing back a strand of her hair.

"I doubt it," Maleny cheekily grinned, "I learned it from the Mikaelsons - among other things."

"You're almost one of us," Freya spoke up behind them, over her gagging moment and now smiling at the two. "You know...except for that big 'Rowan' at the end of your name."

Maleny blushed and removed one hand from Klaus to stand sideways and glance at Freya, "Well, it _is_ my name," she said quietly, twiddling with one of her blonde curls, blushing fiercer as she felt Freya smirking wider at her.

"You could always change it," Klaus casually said, misunderstanding the implication his sister was trying to give him.

Maleny let her curl drop and lightly sighed, "I guess…" her tone went slightly sour, and disappointed. It's not that she expected something grand for her to truly become a Mikaelson, but she did want a little something more than just 'you could always change it'. Feeling a little more disappointed suddenly, she looked at the two siblings, "I forgot my purse upstairs."

Freya watched the blonde take her sudden leave with almost a sense of amusement. She waited until Maleny was completely gone before teasing her younger brother. "For a man that's lived a thousand years, you sure are clueless."

Klaus arched an eyebrow at the woman, displeased at the insult, "Come again? What, pray tell, have I apparently done this time?"

Freya laughed and stepped towards him, "You really didn't see how disillusioned Mal was after you so poorly suggested she just 'change her name' like it was a piece of paper."

"But...it is," Klaus said slowly, still not understanding the problem, "In fact, with us, it's only a matter of changing how you introduce yourself. There's no need for legal matters."

Freya rolled her eyes, wondering if this was what it was to have brothers. Were they supposed to be clueless? Well, she already had to tend to a clueless Elijah who would simply not admit his true feelings for, and directly to, Cami. And now she had to deal with Klaus, who so stupidly did not see what it was Maleny actually wanted. She supposed with Klaus, it was a little easier considering the two were actually together and in full knowledge of what they felt for each other. It was just pointing out the delicate details that needed to be resolved.

"Let me ask you some simple questions, alright?" she began calmly, "Have you ever pictured anything else for you and Maleny?"

Although Klaus couldn't see what she was trying to get at, he went along with her questions. "'Anything else'," he mimicked her tone, "was simply a child," he smirked triumphantly, "And as we all know, that's been resolved."

Freya upheld her calm look despite it looking like she was losing. "And...beyond that?"

"What else is there, Freya?"

"How about the 'forever' part? The part where Maleny is turned so the 'always and forever' can _actually_ _be_ 'always and forever'?"

The question immediately put Klaus in a mood, "That is none of your business," he declared and made to leave...but Freya wasn't having it.

"So that's your plan, then? Ignore the inevitable truth until Maleny has aged and is no longer that youthful blonde you're so used to?" Klaus stopped walking, but kept his back to her. "Maleny is mortal again, brother, and by nature's law she _will_ age," Freya continued, "Do you intend to leave her like that? Bury her down at the grave-"

"ENOUGH!" Klaus boomed and turned back for his sister, stalking up to her, "You will desist in any of that sort of talk... _especially_ when Maleny is around."

Freya sighed, completely unalarmed despite having provoked a great rage in her brother. "Don't be upset because I'm calling in the truth. And that was all just to make a point."

"I'm not interested in your point," Klaus scoffed.

"My point was trying to get you to see how disappointed Mal was when you so poorly told her to just change names because she expected more."

"Like?"

"Oh my God," Freya had a small laugh to herself, "Do I have to go buy the ring myself and ask her to marry me instead?" The realization struck Klaus, and hard, and for a minute he was left frozen in his place. Freya laughed again, patting his shoulder, "There we go, brother. Ponder on that, will you?" she looked past him to the stairs, where Maleny was quietly making her way down. "Looks like my date's here - Mal!"

"I'm ready," Maleny assured as Freya walked towards her. "Klaus, I'll be there in about an hour and a half," she called to the hybrid, but he simply waved a hand at her while still overthinking on Freya's "point". Maleny gave him an odd look as Freya led her out, "What's gotten into him?"

Freya snickered, "Some words."

~ 0 ~

Cami walked into her place and flicked the lights on, sighing at the large mess of boxes she still had lying around, but soon got over it upon seeing Amarrah inside. "Uh...hello!?" Cami blinked, shutting the door behind her.

"Hello," Amarrah was sitting on the couch looking through a police file of the same victim she had come to Cami for information on. She looked up with a cheery smile, "I sent Vincent home, thought you could help me better instead. You want a drink?" she got up and walked for the kitchen.

Cami continued to cluelessly blink, remaining in place, "Um...what exactly are you doing here?"

"Looking for more information on the murder case, clearly," Amarrah returned with two glasses of bourbon.

"Why, exactly, are you _here_?" Cami raised an eyebrow, blankly taking the drink from her once it was handed. "Not to be rude, but...why?"

"Because I thought we could work on it together," Amarrah shrugged and returned to her seat on the couch. She opened up another file and slid to the edge of the table, where Cami was. "I thought you could help me out on the vampire details."

Cami sighed and finally walked over, picking up a paper and skimming it, "I don't know what I can do, Ams. You're the Detective, here."

"Yes, and you're the vampire here. Do you see how we can make the perfect team?" Amarrah tilted her head, giving the blonde a look.

"Alright, fine," Cami put her glass down on the table, "but I still think it's worth asking Maleny about this."

"Absolutely not," Amarrah shook her head as she returned to her work, "I just don't think Klaus or Elijah did this. They've got no reason to do so."

"I still think you should at least talk to them," Cami persisted, leaning back on the couch, "At least give them a chance to tell you if they did it so you quit doing unnecessary work."

Amarrah sighed, finally relenting, "Alright, fine. We can go-"

"Oh n-n-n-n-n-n-no," Cami shook her head and began getting up from the couch, completely refusing the idea, "I am not going anywhere near that compound-"

Amarrah rolled her eyes, "We can ask Maleny and Klaus, they're probably at the art exhibit going on tonight. Plus, I know for a fact Elijah's in the bayou."

Cami narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms in suspicion, "How?"

"Because it's a full moon tonight," Amarrah sighed, thus relieving Cami, as well as also reminding them both of their guilt for still being unable to help Hayley and their closer wolf friends, Alton and Yamilet. "So," she pushed herself up to her feet, " _Now_ you want to come with me?"

"Yes," Cami said, still acting like she was being asked far too much.

~ 0 ~

At St. James Infirmary, the setting for the art exhibit, Klaus had been impatiently waiting for Maleny to finally make an appearance. Two hours had passed and yet there was no sign of the blonde. However, he did get a rather surprising visit instead from an old "friend", Lucien Castle, whom he hadn't seen in over a thousand years. His impatience of Maleny subsided mildly after a couple of drinks with Lucien.

In the end, a blonde did make an appearance...along with a French dark-haired woman.

"Give me a moment," Klaus motioned to Lucien as he got up from their table and went to greet the two women, "To what do I owe this visit?" he smirked, "Mal's not here and I doubt Elijah will be making an appearance."

Cami deeply sighed in irritation, "I'm here on business," she snapped, "And I intend on making it short before you make another round of jokes like you commonly do."

Klaus rolled his eyes, "What do you want?"

Amarrah cleared her throat, "Someone tortured and killed a local. Left the body right out in the open. I think it was a vampire."

"Last time I heard vampire business was now _your_ department," Klaus pointed to the blonde, "Don't bother me."

Cami was near losing her temper with him, "We need to know if it was you or Elijah that did it so Amarrah knows what to tell the cops."

The accusation was surprising but caused far more amusement to Klaus than anger, "You think I left a sloppy mess out in the street? You have confused me for a simpleton, clearly. And as for Elijah, don't bother. He rarely goes out nowadays."

"We're being serious, Klaus," Amarrah gave him a scolding look, "The victim was found like like a-"

But Klaus had lost interest in the conversation and turned to walk away from the two. The only reason he stopped midway was because of the familiar scent that had wafted in from the entrance. Maleny straightened herself up and walked further into the room, but was stopped as Amarrah and Cami passed by.

"You need to teach your boyfriend some manners," Cami snapped, making Maleny rapidly blink, barely able to process when Amarrah added something as well.

"Look, Mal, we really need you guys to look into the latest of murder victims," she pleaded, "I'll send you the file later."

"Wh-what?" Maleny uttered after the two women had left. Slowly, she continued walking and met Klaus with a questioning, yet not completely 'there' look, "Do I want to know?"

"No," Klaus shook his head, quickly instigating her to smile. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, he smelt traces of alcohol on her. "Why exactly were you late?"

The grin on Maleny's face widened as she giggled, "I may have...tried some drinks…" she tilted her head to the side, catching view behind him. "Why exactly is that guy looking at me like I'm his next course meal?"

Klaus glanced over his shoulder, following Maleny's gaze to Lucien who was sitting and smirking their way. "Dinner, snack…" he even said to joke, "...appetizer?"

"Klaus," Maleny said, rather shaken up at the man's bluntness.

"He's merely joking, love," Klaus started leading her towards the table, "Although you probably would feel less scared if you hadn't had too much to drink."

"It was a party, what did you think was gonna happen?" Maleny rolled her eyes, "I was being a good friend to Freya who didn't want to drink alone. And don't start with me. Who's your friend?"

"Old acquaintance. Nothing more," Klaus said quietly, a hint of reluctance in his tone that Maleny didn't pick up on.

"Old acquaintance?"" Lucien frowned, feigning offence, "You wound me!"

They came to a stop at the table where Lucien had already gotten up to greet the blonde. She stared him up and down for a minute, "You're kinda cute," she remarked, earning quite a response from both men.

"Ooh, I definitely like your friend, Nik," Lucien laughed while Klaus tried not kill him there and then.

"She's not my 'friend'-" Klaus began when Lucien cut him off.

"Even better," he made one step closer to Maleny but Klaus immediately blocked the way with himself.

"She's not my 'friend', she's _mine_ ," Klaus finished with an air of triumph.

Maleny tapped his shoulder, making him look back, "I'm not property you know," she said calmly, the amount of drinks clouding her real emotions. "I do have thoughts and feelings."

"Yes, and at the moment I fear they aren't at their best," Klaus gently motioned her to come forwards.

"They are," Maleny insisted and took a deep breath and started over again. "What was your name again?" she asked Lucien.

"Lucien Castle," the old vampire took her hand and kissed it.

The blonde smiled at him warmly, and as she looked at him she began getting brief flashes of...a hallway?

 _...My lady, why are you crying?…_

 _…No reason, simple...family issues…_

 _...Absolutely no one should make you shed tears..._

Maleny crinkled her nose as a familiar painful jab took over the side of her head. "Oh," she came back with a gasp. She had been sat down at the table, and had both men attending to her as if she were dying. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, still feeling rather hazed, "I don't know what happened…"

"I do, you had too much drink," Klaus frowned, already thinking of berating Freya when he saw her again.

Maleny briefly looked at him for the comment and instead focused on what she had saw and heard in her mind. She knew exactly what they were, or at least what had seemed to happen. She would never forget that type of head pain. It was a memory that had tried to resurface. The scenery was completely new to her, as well as her new persona. Things went by so fast she couldn't understand it. She supposed now that it had tried to come back, it probably would be making another attempt soon. The only thing that concerned her was if it was normal for the pain to still come with them, as this was her original body, her own mind.

"Mal," Klaus' voice brought her back to the present. He was holding her hand, trying to see if she was in yet another trance. "Mal, are you alright?"

Maleny kindly smiled, "I'm always alright. Whatever it was, it passed. However, I do think I should see what had Amarrah and Cami so concerned. It seems like you already found yourself a drinking buddy…" she glanced at Lucien, "...and I definitely wouldn't want to crash a guy's night, so maybe it's best I take my leave."

"By all means, do stay if you'd like," Lucien smirked at her.

"Lucien!" Klaus snapped, making the other vampire raise his hands in a non-threatening way.

"I was being polite!"

Maleny chuckled and got up with ease, "So it's settled. Although," she walked up to Lucien, "You seem like the typical rich vampire guy that knows how to have fun…"

Lucien nodded with great pride, "Well…"

Maleny suddenly turned serious, "Keep your little girlfriends off him," she pointed back to Klaus, "or I will personally drive a stake right through this heart," she tapped Lucien's chest with a wide, sarcastic smile, "Got it?"

"Very feisty for an apparent mortal," Lucien remarked in amusement.

"I look out for what's mine," Maleny calmly declared and stepped back to where Klaus was, now addressing him, "And if you let those hands get on you, I'll kill you. And when you come back, I'll kill you again."

"Understood," Klaus smirked at her, "Ma'am."

Maleny rolled her eyes, "Oh, shut up," she grabbed her purse from the table and walked off.

"Where'd you pick that one up?" Lucien curiously asked as the two watched the blonde leave, "She's certainly no where near like the psychopath you had during our time."

The reminder provoked a tensed silence to break between the two men. In all the centuries, Klaus hadn't once thought about the redhead and he wasn't going to have any details of that time be told near Maleny. However, now that Maleny was gone, his curiosity was able to get the best of him.

"Have you spoken to her?" he quietly asked Lucien.

A grim, distasteful look spread over Lucien's face, "Aurora and I parted ways centuries ago - thankfully. You know I never had desire to see her after what she did to Cecilia."

"Yes," Klaus nodded, recalling the event that had occurred right before his family was forced to run from Mikael again. "The tragedy…"

"It wasn't a tragedy!" Lucien snapped and turned on him, suddenly angry, "It was _murder_. Aurora killed her out of spite, and ruined-"

"Lucien!" Klaus raised his voice, stopping the vampire midway in his passionate fury, "It's _done_ ," Klaus said quietly, not as indifferent as he might have been had he not discovered Maleny had also gone through similar cases.

Still heavily feeling, Lucien snatched his drink from the table and headed for the bar for more, grumbling under his breath.

* * *

 _1002 A.D. France._

 _Keeping his promise that would save his life, the servant Lucien had introduced the Mikaelson siblings to his master, the Count de Martel, under the name of the real family he had been sent for (but had been killed in a feeding spree by the vampires). He hadn't been sure how the event would go down, for the Count was smart and would be suspicious of the children of the Count de Guise whom had never been mentioned. Thankfully, with his instructions, the Mikaelsons had successfully charmed the Count de Martel and were now taking joy of the party the castle was holding._

 _Now, as his status only allowed, Lucien stood at the side of the room simply looking at the ongoing celebration when Klaus approached him._

 _"You've proven to be an immense help," he remarked to the servant, meaning it to be as close to a 'thank you' as it could get._

 _"Oh. Of course, my lord," Lucien replied, rather bashfully._

 _"Though, I must say, you don't seem at all disturbed about leading us into your master's home."_

 _Lucien sighed and glanced at Count de Martel, "My master is a cruel drunkard who torments his minions for sport. Beggars who seek supper. Vassals who cannot pay a debt... like my own father."_

 _Klaus nodded with understanding, "Ah," following the glare sent to the Count._

 _Lucien continued with sudden anger, "All these gentile folk, behind their silks and their jewels, are slavers. Killers. Whatever evil you are, you walk among greater evil still. What do I care if you kill the lot of them?"_

 _But then laughter carried over, grabbing both of the men's attention. It belonged to a dark-haired woman who had taken to a rather odd dance with another young man. And it was as if Lucien had never been angry in the first place._

 _"Who is that?" Klaus asked, curiously._

 _"The Count's niece - Lady Cecilia," Lucien replied, never taking his eyes off the dark-haired woman, "Her parents passed away years ago and the Count took her under his protection with his children."_

 _"Children?" Klaus repeated, now more interested in the story._

 _Lucien nodded and gestured to the incoming young man and woman on the other side of the room. "The Count's children- the Lord Tristan and the Lady Aurora."_

 _Klaus suddenly became more interested in the bright redhead Aurora, "She is exquisite."_

 _"Ah, yes," Lucien agreed carelessly, "Um, as her brother is wicked, might I suggest that you avoid them completely?"_

 _Klaus followed the steps the redhead took, "But would she really be a threat, even to one like me?"_

 _"She is an intelligent one, do not doubt it," Lucien warned, but it went over Klaus' head as he became more entranced by the strange woman._

* * *

At a club heavily packed with all sorts of people, Freya was dancing with some new women she had met after Maleny left. She had to stop dancing, however, after her cellphone went off. She covered one ear to listen to Elijah on the other line.

"Hello?"

"Did I misinterpret the kind of exhibition you're attending?" Elijah asked, sounding bemused by the loud music he could hear in the background.

"I switched venues!" Freya chuckled.

"Forgive me for cutting into your free night, Freya, but I am in desperate need of help," Elijah said, sounding equally frantic which made Freya rush to the outsides where she would be able to hear better.

"What's wrong, Elijah?" Freya asked, concerned.

"There are hunters in the bayou and I fear Hayley has fallen into one of their traps…"

Freya's eyes widened, "Oh, dear…"

"I need to search the bayou but I cannot do it on my own. Plus, someone needs to look after Hope."

Freya nodded in understanding, suddenly getting an idea of just who could help him scour the bayou for missing wolves. "Okay, I'll be there - I have an idea."

~ 0 ~

The art show was over, and while the people had left, Klaus and Lucien remained inside, both still drinking yet Lucien still in a foul mood from the earlier reminder. Frankly over it, and partially wanting to get back to Maleny and see how she was doing, Klaus approached Lucien and got straight to the point.

"Lucien- what are you really doing in my city?"

Lucien sighed and turned to him, "News has spread, old friend. Every vampire in the world knows you've been attacked. A number of times, nearly killed."

Klaus rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore the matter, "Oh, well, I can assure you that all those who stood against me ended up either desiccated, dust, or dinner."

Lucien lightly laughed, though still seemed unusually nervous, "Yes, but... what if it had gone the other way, hmm? When Finn was killed, we all learned the truth- the life of every vampire is linked back to the Original who begat the line. Kol's death confirmed it. Two entire lines of vampires wiped out! As you can imagine, the threat level doesn't sit well with those of us who remain."

"Anyone fearing death as a result of my demise should come see me!" Klaus sarcastically smiled, "I'll be happy to reassure them."

"Of course. You and your siblings are mighty, indeed. Though, the attacks on you show that you are not completely invulnerable," Lucien continued, "While you've wallowed in your family affairs, your progeny have grown somewhat... restless. The world is a finite place, territory limited. And even ancient vampires are not above vicious turf-wars. What if I told you there's a growing conflict between the remaining three sirelines? Suppose one of them wanted to annihilate the other? By killing Elijah? Rebekah? You?"

Although the idea was rather unsettling, Klaus easily hid it, "So, you came all this way to deliver a warning?"

"Think about it! Kill an Original, wipe out an entire line of competition! A tempting goal, made more so by the fact that your family isn't so intact with each other."

"My family is _hardly_ weak!" Klaus snapped, coming closer to Lucien so that they were face-to-face. "In fact, we are unkillable- the last of the white oak is gone."

Lucien narrowed his eyes skeptically, "Are you so certain it's _all_ gone? Every last splinter of it? Vanished for good?"

Klaus responded by grabbing him from the back of the neck, harshly squeezing it, "Lucien, if you had even the slightest inkling any fragment of white oak still existed, of course you would tell me."

"Easy, Nik," Lucien cleared his throat as he removed Klaus' hand from his neck. "You are my sire. My fate is linked to yours," he reminded the crucial detail, "If you want to know what I do about the dangers you now face, trust me enough to come with me. There is something that you must see."

"I have other places to be at," Klaus stepped back from him, highly suspicious.

"I assure you want to see this," Lucien insisted, motioning to Klaus for them to leave. "It spells your family's ending, and I think that little blonde of yours wouldn't be so happy."

Klaus sighed, once again caving to something that, one way or another, led back to Maleny.

~ 0 ~

Out in the bayou, Elijah was impatiently sitting at the front porch of the cabin with Hope in her stroller, the setting being meant to have been a Crescent wolf reunion due to the full moon. However now it was going to be a life saving night, or at least trying to find Hayley. Suddenly, Freya appeared a couple feet away from him and Hope...but she was not alone.

"Camille," Elijah breathed in as he rose to his feet, awed to have Cami so close after so many months.

Cami looked to the side, clearly uncomfortable being there. "Freya said there were wolf traps out here and you can't find Hayley?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded.

"I'm here for her, Alton and Yamilet," Cami clarified, watching Freya walk to the stroller. "Otherwise, Freya would have had to poison me to get me here. Shall we get going?" she gestured to the trees behind her.

Elijah nodded silently, and soon the two sped off to begin their hunting tasks. Freya sat down on the steps and turned Hope's stroller so that she could see the baby.

"Hello, sweetie," she smiled softly at the almost asleep toddler. "You'll have to excuse your Auntie Freya, I've had a few big-girl drinks tonight."

Hope stretched her small arms over her head as her eyes slowly closed, falling asleep there and then. Freya sighed and looked out to the dark bayou, hoping that all turned out well for the missing Crescent wolves.

~ 0 ~

Amarrah walked into the lonely Mikaelson compound where after shouting for Maleny a couple of times in the courtyard, she was promptly scolded by the blonde witch.

"There is _no_ need to shout," Maleny appeared from one of the downstairs room, holding a cup of coffee in hand.

"You look plain awful," Amarrah declared after a minute and Maleny came to sit down at the couch.

"And it's not from the special drinks I tried tonight, I promise," Maleny sighed and leaned back on the couch, rubbing her temple. "What's wrong, Ams? And where's Cami?"

"Oh, Freya stopped by and said Elijah needed her help in the bayou," Amarrah decided to cut the explanation short.

Maleny raised an eyebrow, looking surprised, "And Cami just said 'yes'?"

"It was urgent," Amarrah coughed awkwardly, hoping Maleny would leave the subject alone.

"Well, did _you_ need something?" Maleny, thankfully, moved on. "I know Klaus was a bit rude to you guys earlier. What exactly were you talking about with him?"

"There's murder case going on and I'm pretty sure it was from a vampire. The guy was compelled not to scream or call for help. He was left hanging like a puppet on strings with his face cut."

"That's awful," Maleny scowled at the idea, "but why come to Klaus? He's not exactly in charge anymore."

"We just wanted to know if he or Elijah had cut loose or something and..." Amarrah motioned what the others has suspected.

"What!?" Maleny leaned forwards, looking indignant of the accusation. "You think Klaus or Elijah did that? Why the hell would they leave the guy out for everyone to see? Plus," she shook her head, "they _wouldn't_ do that. Elijah's refined, sophisticated, it's not like him to be so messy. He barely leaves the place anymore, anyways. And I know Klaus wouldn't do that either. It's not exactly his forte to leave his victims like a doll. It's not them, Ams."

Amarrah sighed, but before she could say she agreed, her phone rang. She pulled it out from her bag and saw it was from the Detective and answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Kinney. Wanted to let you know you were right."

Amarrah gulped, "Oh...really?"

"It happened again. So, if you're not busy, I could use your brain."

"Yeah, of course," Amarrah nodded and hung up. Maleny was staring at her, expecting an explanation. Amarrah thought for a minute and decided she should see for herself what was happening. "Can you come with me somewhere?"

"Just as long as there's no more alcohol," Maleny sipped one last time from her coffee cup and got up, straightening her blouse. After getting home she had changed into more comfortable lounge clothes, consisting of a simple blue blouse with dark jeans and boots.

"I promise you there will be none of that," Amarrah mumbled and grabbed Maleny by the arm to lead her away.

~ 0 ~

Cami and Elijah came to a stop in a small clearing in the woods after seeing a steel-jawed animal trap meant for the wolves. Heavily annoyed, Elijah walked for it and began to break it apart as loudly as possible to get the responsible hunters out into the open. After a few seconds, he heard the clicking of a gun behind.

"What the hell are you doing?" the hunter demanded.

Cami and Elijah exchanged a look before Elijah stepped forwards,feigning innocence, "Oh my goodness, where are my manners? Permit me to explain-"

But he quickly sped up to the hunter and snatched his gun before throwing him to the ground.

"Elijah!" Cami turned just as a second hunter appeared.

Elijah used the gun from the first hunter and threw it at the second like it were a javelin, causing the barrel of the gun to impale the chest. Afterwards, he took the first hunter, who'd been trying to crawl away, by the back of the shirt and put him down to the ground.

"Lesson one of the hunt: Lay the bait," he slammed the hunter's foot into another of the traps, making it clamp down on the ankle.

Elijah remained unfazed and merely stepped back, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt. Cami, who'd been only standing so far, roughly swallowed down as Elijah met her stare. She felt a chill run down her back as he stepped towards her. She would never admit it to anyone else, and after admitting it to herself she would try and push the thought away, but she felt _so_ attracted to him at that moment.

The only thing that broke her from her embarrassing thoughts were the three laser sights pointing at Elijah.

Cami whirled around to the direction from which they were coming from. "Lesson two," she mumbled and sped off, leaving Elijah to follow.

It didn't take long for them to corner the remaining hunter in another part of the woods. Being closer, Cami grabbed the man by the neck and raised him, angrily glaring.

"You're gonna give me the precise location of every last one of those stupid traps," she warned him, "And we also want the routes used by any of your other men."

"I-I don't know-" the man barely got to say when a different person, a woman, appeared out of nowhere and lunged for him.

Cami stumbled back from such force as the man was tackled out of her grip. The woman clawed and clawed until the man was dead. For a minute, Cami and Elijah could only stare as the man was marred to death. When it was all done, the woman rose to her feet, and with nothing on, she revealed she was a Crescent wolf.

" _Yamilet_ …" Cami breathed in, both relieved and terrified of the woman's conditions.

"Good to see you, blondie," Yamilet greeted with her usual sourness. "I have a question and I expect to be answered with the utmost truth: Where. Is. Alton.?"

"We...we don't know," Elijah replied, currently looking to the side out of embarrassment and courtesy.

Yamilet wad too preoccupied with her missing boyfriend to care who saw her or who didn't. "There's traps set all over this place!" she gritted her teeth, more furious than ever, "If I don't find Alton rest assured this time I will come after all you Mikaelsons with all I have."

Cami cleared her throat and looked down, "We'll find him, we promise."

Yamilet rolled her eyes, no longer so trusting of them all. "Sure," she sneered, "Right after you break this curse, right? Spare me the crap and let me follow the scent of the remaining hunters, no?" she started picking at the hunters shirt, intending on using it as a makeshift dress until she found proper clothes.

Afterwards, she joined the hunting and followed the scent of the remaining hunters - who all died soon after - and came across a truck. Immediately, Yamilet felt her stomach churn as an awful smell penetrated the air.

Elijah went towards it, hesitating a minute to pull the tarp covering the back. But in the end, he chucked it back, and revealed at least half a dozen dead werewolves.

"Oh my God!" Cami exclaimed, horrified at the sight. She and Yamilet rushed towards it, but in the end only Yamilet dared to touch them.

Yamilet began hyperventilating at the idea that one of those wolves could be Alton. Her hands shook as she reached towards her companions, her eyes watering up.

"Alton? Alton!" she whisper-shouted as if someone would respond back.

Behind her, the feeling of overwhelm started washing over Cami and Elijah. Neither of them knew if Hayley was in there as well, and it just terrified them to their core that they were perhaps too late to help them.

Without taking notice, Cami inched closer to Elijah, close to tears herself. Elijah put an arm around her, bringing her to him, but both were too distraught to remember their situation.

~ 0 ~

Maleny was not one to feel comfortable around police crime scenes. She would never understand how Amarrah once decided to willingly do this for a living.

"Detective," Amarrah came up to the blonde man with Maleny coming in a couple seconds behind. "Oh, um, this is my friend," Amarrah gestured to the blonde witch, "She knows a thing or two about these odd cases."

"I do?" Maleny blinked, looking at Amarrah in confusion.

"Detective Will Kinney," the man shook her hand nonetheless.

"Maleny Rowan," she politely said back, feeling awkward in such a different setting. "So, Ams said you found another victim?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Kinney sighed, looking at Amarrah, "And in the same type of position as the first one."

Amarrah nodded and so Kinney began leading the way to where the victim was. "Of the same background as well?" Amarrah questioned curiously.

"Yes, high status," Kinney nodded, turning for another alleyway. This time the victim was just at the corner. It was another man, dressed in a rich suit, and was propped like a puppet.

As soon as Maleny saw it she became horrified. But no less than a second did she began to feel that annoying jab on the side of her head. For a minute, Maleny felt the world around her fade away as two voices in her head became prominent.

 _...this is sick torture, Tristan…_

 _...as the son of the Count, I do punishments as I see fit…._

 _...it is immoral, inhumane…_

 _...yet you allowed far more immoral things to continue..._

After Kinney had left, Amarrah finally took notice of the distant look on Maleny's face. Concerned, she gently shook Maleny by the arm. "Mal? Are you okay?" Maleny snapped out of it quickly but it still took her a moment to remember where she was. "Maleny, what is it?"

Maleny slowly laid eyes on the victim again, her horror and shock replaced by confusion, and...familiarity. "I think...I think I've seen this before," she whispered with nothing but utter dread.

~ 0 ~

Hayley was angrily screaming and pounding against an invisible barrier Davina Claire had trapped her in. It was beyond ridiculous, and infuriating, to be trapped by a witch on the only night she could see Hope.

Davina returned to the room completely at ease, holding clothes in her arms along with other supplies.

"Davina, let me out of here right now, or I swear I will kill you!" Hayley shouted at the teen but it was of no use.

"You can try," she sarcastically motioned, "Or, we can have a polite conversation."

Hayley was in no mood to 'converse', not tonight at least. "You magically kidnapped me on the one night that I can see my daughter. Do not talk to me about "polite!""

Beginning to grow frustrated, Davina rose her voice, "I drew you here to help you!"

"Amarrah and Maleny asked you months ago to help them break the curse, and you said no!"

Davina looked to the side, trying to hide her guilt, "The Regent of witches can't be seen doing favors for the Mikaelsons."

And though Maleny wasn't technically one, she was already branded as one of them. Since she their fallout of bringing Esther Mikaelson back to life, Davina didn't exactly want to do anything for Maleny and her...people. She was still upset with Maleny for having played that foul trick that cost her Kol's resurrection. But now the tables had turned, and she was in need of assistance...just not from Maleny this time.

"But, maybe we can help each other," she looked at Hayley sternly as she tossed a blood bag through the invisible barrier. Hayley threw her a dirty look but feeling the ravenous hunger inside, she dropped to her knees and started drinking from the bag. Look, I have access to the witch ancestors. I can channel the power of the one who created the spell that cursed you. You can be free, Hayley."

Hayley licked the blood that had gotten on her fingers, and slowly rose to her feet. " Under your terms, I'm guessing." Davina sighed, guiltily looking down, but Hayley saw an opportunity she wasn't going to waste. "Spill."

"There's a witch in the 9th Ward who hates that I'm Regent. She tried to kill me. If I retaliate, I'm starting a civil war, and I don't want to do that."

"Fine," Hayley said without a second thought. "Just tell me who you want dead."

~ 0 ~

After finding another wolf turned human - Jackson - who was injured due to a trap, Elijah had them all return to the cabin. It was there that Cami made her choice to leave, as there was the special hour coming up and she needed to be back in the city to oversee 'feeding time'.

"You can't go," Yamilet said, her no voice no longer sour. She was extremely shaken up by the sight of dead wolves, and the fact Alton was still no where in sight wasn't helping her. "You need to help me." She glanced back at Elijah who was tending to the injury on Jackson's leg. "They won't help me," she shook her head, knowing their main priority was going to be Hayley.

Cami could see that happening, since Jackson had no idea where Hayley was. "Okay," she considered, "then come back with me, and...we can get Ams to do a locator spell. If Alton's human and…"

Yamilet's eyes lowered, quietly finishing for Cami, "...alive."

Cami awkwardly cleared her throat, "Um, yeah. If so, then she'll be able to find him. Okay, so come back with me."

Yamilet nodded, glancing back at the other two men, "I'm going with her," she declared to them, "We have five hours until we turn back and I'm not going to waste it on some woman when my boyfriend's out there too."

"Agreed," Jackson got up, "I want Hayley - she's my wife."

"Then we split," Cami looked at Elijah, doing her best to remain rigid. "I have to get back to the other vampires."

"Thank you Camille," Elijah said honestly, "For your assistance."

Cami nodded and gently took Yamilet away with her.

~ 0 ~

"Are we actually doing this?" Maleny paced back and forth in Amarrah's living room while the French witch surfed through the internet and made notes of the murder cases.

"If you meant 'researching the possible murderer' then yes," Amarrah looked up from her laptop with a sly smile. "What's the big deal?"

Maleny stopped pacing to face Amarrah, biting her lip nervously. "You're kidding right? That's the guy that's apparently friends with Klaus. What am I going to tell him? 'Sorry, my friend thinks that your friend is on a killing spree'."

Amarrah rolled her eyes and returned to her work, "To be fair, Klaus doesn't exactly have nice, sane friends."

"Ams," Maleny sighed, plopping down on the couch chair, rubbing a hand over her face.

"Maleny," Amarrah took on a stern voice, "you said this guy, Lucien, just got here tonight - the same night the murders started. That's worth of suspicion. And Klaus doesn't have to know _you_ told me."

Maleny shook her head, resting her arms on the sides as she thought back to those brief memory flashes. She may have been out of it in the beginning, but she was certain they started just when Lucien Castle returned...was that worth of suspicion?

"What do you know of the guy?" Amarrah asked, missing the thoughtful look on her friend's face.

"Hm?" Maleny's eyes flickered to the dark-haired woman, "Um, nothing really. Klaus just said he was a friend - acquaintance, actually."

"Hm," Amarrah mused as she clicked on a link that led to a video that seemed to be about a donation the man had made. "Well, your boyfriend's acquaintance seems to be some rich boy…"

"Yeah, kinda figured that out on my own," Maleny muttered, flushing when she recalled her imprudence during their first greet and meet.

"He's the CEO of some important company - Kingmaker Land Development," Amarrah continued and unplugged her earphones, pulling out the cable so that the rest of the video she was listening to played out loud for Maleny.

 _"Listen to the advice of your superiors, then do better! Study the weaknesses of those who outrank you and eliminate them from your own experience. Authority is meant to be challenged! Great achievers refuse to stand in shadows."_

Amarrah then paused the video, giving Maleny an 'I told you so' look as the blonde grew concerned. "I need to go talk to the Detective," Amarrah got up and stuffed her laptop in her bag, "I won't tell him anything, maybe just...sidetrack them for a while until you get Klaus to do something about this new friend of his."

~ 0 ~

Freya had gone back to her club as soon as Elijah had returned for Hope. Even though she was still partially drunk, she was relatively surprised to find Cami entering the place. Upon seeing the blonde witch, Cami walked towards her.

"Didn't think you'd be back," Freya mused as she grabbed her drink from the counter.

"I went for my friends, I found one, and now I dropped her off in a place she can get the help I can no longer provide," Cami said sternly, and looked to the side.

"Mmm, just like that?" Freya arched an eyebrow before taking a full shot of her drink.

"Yes, just like that," Cami rolled her eyes and returned her gaze to Freya, "Now, I'm back for business _here_. It's almost midnight, Freya."

"Well, I'm not wearing glass slippers…" Freya began, but soon realized what Cami was trying to say and groaned, "Do you have to turn the best club in town into your personal blood bank?"

Cami lightly smiled at that, "I know, I used to hate it when I finally learned what really went on in this city. But this is how Marcel used to run things and I'm going to follow in his footsteps. It's how it works. We feed on tourists, compel them to forget, locals turn a blind eye. That's how NOLA works. So, unless you want to become an appetizer-"

Freya raised a hand, "Pass," she pretended to shiver and started on her way out. However, as she went by, she grabbed the hand of a young man and pulled him with her, "This one's coming with me!" she announced and the man went with her without a problem.

~ 0 ~

At the compound, Klaus had already returned from his...interesting...visit to Lucien's apartment, and after getting a notice from Elijah that Hayley was missing, he went straight to find Freya. Finding her no where, he opted for a phone call...of course there was no response.

"Freya, I'm aware that 21st century technology remains a mystery to you, but when you see my name pop up on your phone, you answer it," he left her the voicemail in grave annoyance, "Come home. Immediately."

As he hung up, he heard footsteps from the entrance and dramatically sighed when Maleny came in. "Well, and here I thought you would be resting and getting over your 'special drinks'."

Maleny rolled her eyes, "I did, and then Amarrah came over with the news of murders happening outside. Do you know, she's pretty sure your new friend, Lucien, is responsible for it."

Klaus scoffed, "Your friend isn't exactly the smartest-"

"Hey," Maleny scolded him and dropped her bag onto the couch, pulling her phone from her pocket, "she has evidence and it kinda fits."

"So this is what you did in the meantime I was out? Play detective?" Klaus mused, slightly amused as Maleny handed her phone for him to see.

"I know a thing or two about vampires if you haven't noticed," Maleny motioned him to take a look at the pictures Amarrah had sent to her phone earlier. "Amarrah thinks Lucien is torturing and killing humans in the Quarter. There have been two victims so far and," she sighed, "if you ask me, it's just creepy."

"Lucien would never be so sloppy," Klaus rolled his eyes before taking a look at the pictures of the victim.

Maleny arched an eyebrow, "Hm, seems like you know him a lot more than you've told me. For acquaintances, I mean…"

Klaus was too stunned of the photos to respond back, "There is a familiar method to this particular madness…" he said quietly, the face cutting making him slightly nervous.

"You need to make sure the latest victim is the _last_ one," Maleny took back her phone, seeing the brief nervousness flash through his eyes.

Klaus replaced his nervousness with amusement. "Are you suggest I kill my oldest friend?"

"Ah, so he's a friend now," Maleny raised her eyebrows, feigning surprise. "Well, listen, the NOLA PD can't take down a thousand-year-old vampire murderer, but you can. You're the smartest, and the strongest, and the scariest."

"Are you trying to persuade me...or flirt?" Klaus chucked her cellphone to the couch, turning to her with a smirk as he pulled her towards him.

"I'm not kidding," Maleny sighed but suddenly took a sniff, "Um...you smell like perfume," she declared, tilting her head, "And it's not _mine_."

"I visited Lucien's new place and he had a party," Klaus began but Maleny pulled herself away from his embrace.

"Look, I know you let me threaten you because I can't actually do anything, but it _is_ upsetting when you deliberately try to get women's hands on you," Maleny crossed her arms and looked to the side.

Klaus chuckled in amusement at the blonde. "I assure you nothing was deliberate," he took her hands and gently brought her back to him. She huffed and turned around, giving him her back. "Mal…"

"Don't 'Mal' me," the blonde muttered, "Go get your murderous friend to stop. Next thing we know, I could be the next victim."

Klaus slid his arms around her waist, both amused yet still serious enough to assure her, "If anyone would even consider that, they wouldn't live to see the morning."

Maleny turned her head to meet his look, pleased to hear his response. "Nice to know I'm cared for here."

"Always, my love," Klaus pressed a kiss to her lips, relaxing when Maleny returned the kiss. Although he was basically suspecting of Lucien himself now, he didn't want Maleny anywhere near Lucien, nor researching information on the man. The last thing he wanted was for Maleny to learn of the part of his past Klaus didn't think she was ready to hear, nor one he was ready to tell.

~ 0 ~

Amarrah and Yamilet, who was now properly changed into Amarrah's borrowed clothes, walked down the street in a heavy rush. After Cami had brought Yamilet to Amarrah's, the French witch performed the locator spell on Alton and found a peculiar result across the Quarter. They didn't know if Alton was trying to get to them, or perhaps was lost, or thinking that Yamilet herself had been killed in one of the wolf traps, but they had to get there. Unfortunately, they stumbled across a new crime scene.

"What is going on in this place?" Yamilet muttered to the witch beside her, having been told by Cami of the two earlier murders. "Wasn't Cami supposed to be taking care of the Quarter now?"

"This isn't her fault," Amarrah shushed her as she saw Detective Kinney making way for them.

"Who's that?" Yamilet eyed the blonde man with mild appreciation.

"You have a boyfriend," Amarrah hissed. She didn't exactly want to run into Kinney at the moment seeing her laptop with all her notes on the case had mysteriously gone missing after seeing him last time. She didn't understand how it could have gotten away from her, but it had and she felt overly irresponsible because of it.

"Amarrah?" Kinney came up to the two women wearing a polite smile, "Miss," he nodded to Yamilet.

"Look, I know I'm supposed to be helping," Amarrah sighed, glancing at Yamilet, "but my friend really needs me right now."

"Actually, Ams," Yamilet looked between the two, getting the feeling the man was staring at them a little too suspiciously, "I can go get Alton on my own."

"What?" Amarrah blinked, "But we need to go together. I want to help you-"

"And you have," Yamilet assured with a small smile, "But, um, there's only a couple of hours left until, I, um…" she made a clawing motion to remind of the full moon passing, "...so maybe it's best I start heading out on my own."

Amarrah sighed, "Okay, but be careful. And I _will_ find a way to...help...both of you."

Yamilet nodded, "Good," she meant to so sound authoritative and chuckled, giving the French witch a hug before leaving.

Amarrah watched her go feeling mildly guilty before facing Kinney. "So, what exactly do I do this time?"

Kinney glanced over his shoulder in the way Yamilet walked off in, and responded with a different topic. "You know, I've seen you in town before...with the two blondes - Camille O'Connell and Maleny Rowan. Thing is, the O'Connells have an unusual history with strange deaths, unexplained behavior, grave-robberies, be-headings, missing persons, police reports with entire sections blacked out. Now she's acting like she's the boss…"

By the time Kinney finished, Amarrah was stunned that he had all that knowledge about her good friend.

"And then your other friend," Kinney chuckled a little, "-the irony- has _no_ background whatsoever. No history in the Quarter - she just popped out of nowhere. Only detail available, and only because we can _see_ , is the fact she's with the mysterious philanthropist-slash-artist Klaus Mikaelson. And then you, you just...came out of no where, much like Miss Rowan. Highly praised Detective coming in yet doing no such thing to get herself on the force here as well…?"

Amarrah gaped with an open mouth, "Um, so...what is this? Some sort of accusation I make weird friends and don't work on what I studied to be?"

"No, I just think you three women are a lot more than you're giving off to the public. There's something you're hiding, and I'll figure it out."

"O-okay," Amarrah blinked, still quite out of it after all she heard. She watched the man walk away from her and became nervous. She worried that the man could get himself into trouble over a simple curiosity.

~ 0 ~

Much later, Freya returned to the compound with her new friend she had picked up from the club. It didn't take much to get to the making out part in the courtyard. Of course, Freya didn't count on her brother to come in and interrupt.

"Freya!" Klaus appeared a couple feet from them, unusually bright, "It's about time you brought a gentleman home to meet the family." He stepped towards the young man, "I'm Freya's brother. And you are? No, don't tell me. Let me guess- Brad?"

There came a giggle from upstairs, where Maleny was residing, "Try Chad, they're always called Chad in the movies."

Klaus pointed to her in agreement and continued, "What are your intentions for my sister? Shall we discuss a dowry?"

The poor human man was terrified when Klaus let his hybrid-eyes came out. "Bro, what the...?"

"Leave. Now," Klaus ordered, momentarily serious.

Maleny laughed when the man ran out in terror. "And the award for 'most annoying little brother' goes out to…" she gestured towards Klaus, who only laughed more.

Freya, meanwhile, gave them both a playful scolding look.

"He was drunk! No one will believe his story," Klaus gave her a smirk.

"You two can make out at every corner of the house but you make the first guy I bring home run away," Freya sighed, only lightly annoyed.

"You can still catch him outside," Maleny called as she came down the stairs. "He was kinda cute." At the sharp look Klaus gave her, she reminded, "Unknown perfume still on you."

"I thought we went past that…"

"I may have forgotten a lot of things but not that one."

"Was there something you two actually needed?" Freya cut into the looming argument, "Or did you just plan this little skit while I was gone?"

Maleny took a sigh and nodded, "We need you to perform a locator spell. Hayley's missing. I don't trust myself without anyone with me."

Freya smiled, "You are more than capable of performing that on your own."

"But seeing it's _Hayley_ out there, we didn't want to take a risk," Klaus said that time, exchanging a worriedly look with Maleny. Both knew Hayley was still raging of what had been done to the wolves and honestly weren't excited over this disappearance.

"'ll need the best connection to Hayley. You'll have to wake Hope," Freya announced sadly, hoping to God there would be no more fighting tonight.

After bringing Hope downstairs and using her for the spell, Freya got straight to work and searched for Hayley. However, she only practice for about a minute before she gasped and abruptly stopped.

"I can't find her," she said quietly, eyes looking over the map before her. "There's nothing- ... It's like she doesn't exist."

"...Or she's dead," Klaus offered another, very plausible, idea, not too pleased.

"No! No. No!" came the voice of a distressed Jackson who rushed inside, 'You have to find her."

"You're here…" Maleny blinked, slightly alarmed.

"Where is Hayley!?" Jackson plainly ignored her and demanded from Freya, whom had tried to do the spell again.

"She's...she's not coming up," Freya shook her head after coming up with the same results. "I don't know what's happening."

Before Jackson could say anything back, he doubled over in pain. Realizing he was turning back into a wolf, Freya stopped her spell.

"Klaus, the chains!" she exclaimed.

Klaus handed Hope to Maleny and rushed to retrieve the chains. But even as Jackson went through the pain of the changing, he continued to plead for Freya's help.

"Freya, please! Please do the spell again!"

Freya glanced back at the table, knowing there wasn't anything else she could that would work. Hayley would not come up anymore, the reason why still such a dread to them all. Klaus returned with the chains, and dragged Jackson to a threshold to chain him up.

"I can't go a month withou- AHH!" Jackson screamed, doubling over again.

Suddenly, he stopped. There was no more pain, no more bone snapping. The changing...stopped.

"It stopped…" Jackson said after a while, much in awe as the others.

~ 0 ~

Much later, Davina looked away the special candle that was to keep Hayley and her pack from changing back to wolves. With a normal lock and a magical one, no one would be able to get through to it but her.

When she turned around, she came to find Marcel coming in. "There's a problem," he sighed.

He led the young teen towards a café shop, specifically the one belonging to Karen Nguyen, the very woman Hayley was sent after. Davina was petrified to see dozens of smoldering, ashen corpses lying in a pile over the patio. There were already other witches, loved ones of the dead, crying over the corpses.

Cami appeared beside them, startling Davina, as the two hadn't exactly spoken out of the faction meetings. But of course, this was part of business.

"There's eleven bodies," the blonde said, "a lot of pissed off loved ones. They thought it was a vampire thing, but all our guys are accounted for at the Abattoir."

Davina gulped as they watched the son of Karen Nguyen, Van, appeared at the scene and discovered his mother was one of the victims. That wasn't what Davina had wanted, at all, and now she had caused a massacre.

~ 0 ~

As Maleny placed down Hope in a playpen, Klaus took out his phone to dial for Lucien's number as they had agreed. "Put it on speaker," Maleny said calmly, her back to him as she made sure Hope was fine. "I want to hear what he says about it."

Though Klaus wasn't too fond of the idea, he did as she wished.

"I taught you better than to leave your leftovers in the street!" he began as soon as the line had been picked up, " _My_ streets."

It sounded as if Lucien was a little out of it. "You'll have to elaborate, mate."

"Two bodies were found sporting rather memorable lacerations. Are you exorcising your demons by carving up the innocents of New Orleans?"

Lucien laughed weakly, "Oh, your family is full of unfounded accusations today. And if I was the culprit, why would you care? We used to make fantastic messes together."

Maleny turned to Klaus, giving him another suspicious stare, questioning him over Lucien's last words.

Klaus ignored her as best he could, for her eyes - while shiny and entrancing - could be very ominous and raging. "There is a delicate balance in this city. There are rules."

"Ah, and people you care about. You can't afford to have weaknesses like that right now."

Maleny crossed her arms, further displeased of what she was hearing.

Klaus promptly looked away from her, knowing he would be paying for that one tonight. "Speaking of weaknesses, there is a wolf chained to my wall who claims he took a chunk out of your arm. Come see me. I'll give you my blood in exchange for your word that the killings will stop."

"I'm afraid your family dog missed the mark, friend. Barely a scratch. No venom breached the skin."

"You listen carefully, _friend_ \- my city has enjoyed months of relative peace. If that peace is in any way disrupted, the next gruesome murder will be yours!"

"Now there's the Klaus I know," came the amused response of Lucien before hanging up.

With a heavy sigh, Klaus put away his phone. As soon as he looked back to Maleny, she was already in front of him, staring at him in mild irritation. "So, I'm just a weakness, then?"

"Lucien has a way with words that-"

"Mhm, nice story," Maleny cut him off, patting his arm, "You know, I'm starting not to like this 'acquaintance' of yours. He's making you lie an awful lot."

"Mal-"

"Find me in _my_ room when you can get your stories straight."

Maleny gave him a smirk as she walked past him out the door. She wasn't actually angry, but she was mildly annoyed Klaus couldn't just tell her what was the deal with this Lucien Castle guy.

~ 0 ~

The night had almost passed and as it did, Jackson remained chained in case he would suddenly revert back to a wolf. But when he saw the changing didn't happen, and the sun had come out, he was angry the chains hadn't been removed and that Hayley hadn't yet appeared.

Freya stood a couple feet from him, awkwardly trying to see if she could help him in any way that didn't involve a locator spell or taking the chains off. "Can I get you some water, or... something?"

"Let me out!" Jackson ordered, yanking on hid chains, "It's dawn, I haven't turned back yet. It doesn't make any sense. I need to find Hayley."

Freya sighed and came towards him, placing her hands on his chest, using her magic to try to decipher what was going on. "I can still feel the curse in your blood. Something's restraining it, but you could transition at any moment."

However, Hayley appeared and shoved the poor blonde witch into a nearby column that temporarily knocked her out. Jackson gaped at the sight of his wife covered in blood from head to toe.

"Where the hell is that bastard?" Hayley panted in rage as she sniffed out the two culpable people that kept her away from Hope. Getting the scent of one of them, she backtracked and saw someone coming down the stairs in a hurry.

"Freya?" Maleny was calling, having heard a funny noise from upstairs she hurried to see if Jackson was still his human self. "Freya-" unfortunately, she got herself entangled into something worse - an angry mother. "Hayley!" she gasped as the brunette hybrid sped up to the stairs.

Hayley grabbed her in a choke-hold, harshly pinning her against the staircase rail. "Do you have any idea what you have taken from me?"

Maleny was well aware Hayley was leaning her farther over the rails and for a minute became alarmed. Someone in anger was bound to do horrible things. "Hayley, you need to calm down-"

Hayley shook the blonde violently, "Don't you dare tell me to calm down after _months_ of being _cursed_!" she squeezed Maleny's neck, causing the blonde to gasp for air. "You took _Hope_ from me you-"

"Hayley!" Maleny sputtered, her frail hands trying to claw Hayley's off her.

"How could you!?" Hayley kept squeezing, knowing it would only take a quick snap to instantly kill the blonde.

During her distraction, Klaus appeared from upstairs and shoved her down the stairs, and would've done more if he was not more preoccupied with Maleny's condition. Maleny violently coughed as the air filled her lungs again. Klaus grabbed her forth, quickly checking to see if she was alright. She only had the growing red marks from Hayley's hold but she was going to be fine.

"You want to fight, fine, but be a little more decent and come after one that can give one back," Klaus turned to Hayley, missing Maleny's momentary irritated look for his comment. "Do not _ever_ attempt to do that again."

Hayley picked herself back up, glaring at both. "All I see are the two people that took my daughter away from me."

"Klaus, don't-" Maleny barely got to say when Klaus sped downstairs to start the fight she had foolishly prayed wouldn't ensue. "Stop!"

Hayley roundhouse-kicked kicked him in the face and sent him across the courtyard. She sped up to him and continued to throw punches.

Maleny hurried down the stairs and saw Freya waking up, as well as Jackson breaking his chains and setting himself free. "No!" she exclaimed, causing Freya to look over and see what was happening.

She cast a spell that kept Jackson back and away from the fight.

"Let me go! He'll kill her!" Jackson shouted, both angry and fearful for Hayley.

"He'll kill _you_!" Freya snapped.

"I'll get them to stop," Maleny muttered and turned back for the courtyard, catching sight of Elijah coming in and trying to intervene. "STOP IT!" she screamed so loud it managed to draw attention, but only for a couple seconds. She sighed and looked all around, seeing Elijah helplessly trying to stop his brother and Hayley, while Freya struggled to hold Jackson back with her spell.

Exasperated beyond all doubt, she drew on her magic, and caused _everyone_ in the scene to get aneurysms. She waited until everyone was down on their knees before she stopped.

"You're all terrible people," she said afterwards, looking worse for wear herself. That amount of power cost her some energy but she was not going to let anyone get hurt, or accidentally die.

"You're one to talk," Hayley spat as she stood up, still glaring daggers at her.

Maleny rolled her eyes, passed from the apologetic, guilty phase. "Oh shut up, you're no innocent dove yourself my dear."

Hayley's hybrid eyes came out and she sped up to Maleny, raising her head as if to show her superiority over the blonde. Not a minute later did Klaus cut in-between the two, pushing Hayley away.

"No, Klaus, let her," Maleny went around him, heavily nervous but more than ready to speak what she had to say. "I'm not going to hide behind you." But still, Klaus didn't move and kept his protective stance against Hayley. Maleny sighed, but figured if Hayley didn't move Klaus wouldn't either and therefore she began her rant. "You're a hypocrite," she declared, only provoking Hayley's hybrid side to re-emerge and step towards her.

" _Excuse_ me?" Hayley arched her eyebrows, " _You_ curse _me_ and _I'm_ the hypocrite here?"

"First of all," Maleny stepped towards her as well, "it was _Dahlia_ who sprung the curse out of nowhere. We didn't plan it!"

"Right, on a plan neither of you thought to share?" this time it had been Jackson who made a response.

"There was no time!" Klaus snapped at him, "Or did you forget you were already midway out of the bayou with my daughter? On the run?"

"We had to get her away!" Hayley exclaimed, "Your family was only hurting her!"

"That's a crappy excuse and you know it," Maleny accused and endure the glare sent her way.

"You can make up excuses all you want, Maleny, but I was only trying to do what was best for her," Hayley frowned. "You two," she pointed at Maleny and Klaus, "took her away from me. You are cruel, and murderers of the very wolves that would have laid their lives for Hope. You _took_ my daughter from me!"

"So. Are. You," Maleny calmly said, bitterly laughing at the accusations and angered Hayley more. "In fact, no one here in this bloody place is innocent. You're a hypocrite for trying to make it seem so."

"What the hell-"

"Or have you told anyone of the massacre you caused over in the witches' territory?" Maleny's questioned left Hayley silent for a moment, and confused the others due to their lack of knowledge of the subject. Maleny smirked at the brunette hybrid. "Thought I didn't know about that? That's what happens when your friend is the leader in the Quarter now. I don't know how you did it, but I'm sure Davina was the one that brought you back and in exchange for a curse delayment, you killed those people. And don't even deny it because all the evidence points to _you_. You claim we're the evil ones but you're no better. You killed people's' _parents_ and _that_ was on purpose. That was your goal." She then turned back and pointed at Jackson. "And taking Hope and Hayley from where they belonged was _your_ idea in the first place. You were going to take a little girl's father from her. And," she sighed and pointed her finger at Freya, startling the blonde witch, "you killed your mother and we never even touched on the subject, but when Klaus did the same to Mikael everyone went nuts. And Elijah," she sourly smiled, "you daggered your brother after taking a decision that did not belong to you. Klaus," she turned to him, "you killed your father, brought back your mother only to be killed hours later. And as for myself, I ensured Kol remained on the other side where he's probably being tortured daily by the spirits of New Orleans as well as letting my friends suffer in a curse I couldn't solve. So," she finally returned her gaze back to Hayley, daring Hayley to challenge her anymore, "is there any other bloody detail you want to discuss concerning loyalty and innocence?"

Hayley swallowed hard, suddenly all the rage and insults she had thought of gone from her mind. She hadn't quite counted on being put on the spotlight like that, a thought everyone else shared with her.

Maleny deeply sighed, "That's what I thought," she said rather irritated herself. "No one is innocent here. Now, I do apologize for what happened, because that was no where near what we had planned. But we would _never_ take away your daughter from you. Or are you forgetting how someone took mine from me centuries ago? Hope is upstairs, and she _does_ know you love her. But mine? My son has made no contact with me, nothing to show that he's coming. Maybe he's not coming back, maybe he's…" she looked down, the realization finally setting over her shoulders, "...he's over the fact he had parents in the first place. Go see Hope, she's up there, napping."

Being uncomfortable was the last thing Hayley pictured when thinking of returning to the compound. But, she was, and she didn't quite know what to do.

"Go!" Maleny exclaimed, her voice abruptly breaking.

Hayley rushed to go see her daughter upstairs, Jackson quickly following her. Everyone else felt the thick sense of guilt, and melancholy for their previous actions.

After a minute, Klaus went for Maleny, "Let's-"

Maleny shook her head, "I think I just want to be alone for a while." He agreed with a small nod, and only because he saw her weariness from lack of sleep finally catching up to her. Rubbing her sore neck, Maleny walked for the stairs, ignoring the looks she received from all three siblings.

Once she was gone, Freya spoke up, and not pleased herself. "That was nothing of what I was expecting," she admitted with a long sigh.

"Yes, Maleny has always had a way of pointing out our faults without being rude about it," Klaus sighed as well, unlike the others not as surprised of what happened.

"I still believe perhaps we can cut the tension by allowing Hayley and Jackson to have their own space," Elijah suggested, immediately receiving a hard look from Klaus. "Hayley has missed many months of Hope's development, and perhaps this can do well for all. There's a new apartment right across the street, so that Hope would never be out of our hearing-shot."

"I think it would be a good idea," Freya agreed, nodding her head. "Intentional or not, the curse did happen and it did break a lot of families. Let Hayley spend time with her daughter for all that she missed out."

"It's only temporal, brother," assured Elijah, able to see the fear of Hope being, once again, taken flash through Klaus' eyes. Only somewhat on board, Klaus gave the nod and allowed Elijah to go set things up.

~ 0 ~

Amarrah loudly slammed her hand on the top of Kinney's car, startling the man into looking away from the radio. She was unamused, irritated, and frankly indignant. "I've been meaning to talk to you about my missing laptop and notes?" Kinney shot her a wide smile, almost amused with her. That only infuriated Amarrah, "You think this is funny? I could report you for that."

Kinney raised a hand and with the other handed her back her laptop. "All the interesting stuff was password-protected, but I knew Vincent wouldn't just pull you in for kicks."

"He wanted Cami, not me," Amarrah clarified blankly, upholding her annoyed face.

"But he brought you in nonetheless and I doubt he did that because 'there was no one else'. He knew you knew your stuff. You're not an amateur."

"I would thank you for the comment but I'm kinda of upset with you if you haven't noticed."

Kinney smiled smugly as he got out of the car. "I finished up the end of that video you were watching. Lucien Castle? Highly motivating. Feeling like my best self already."

Suddenly Amarrah's annoyance vanished from her face and was replaced with due concern for the man. That was exactly what she wanted to avoid. "Nothing's concrete, I was just...looking into the new tourists that came in yesterday," Amarrah swallowed hard.

"And the brief notes on him?"

"Just...brief. It's nothing set on stone."

Kinney stared long and hard at the French woman before warmly smiling. "You could very well report me but you haven't, because you know I was right about your family. You're not a suspect, Amarrah. I'm actually looking out for you. I think you're mixed up in something much bigger than you realize."

Amarrah would've scoffed at such irony if she was conversing with anyone else. "Trust me, I realize." She was going to add more onto that when she heard snippets of the radio from inside the car. "Wait…" she turned to the car, "Turn up the radio…"

Confused, Kinney reached inside and did as she wanted. As soon as he did, they both heard announcements over the murders.

 _"While police refuse to release information, sources allege that a manhunt is on for a possible serial killer. Two violently mutilated bodies entirely drained of blood have been recovered..."_

"How the hell did they know about the blood?" Kinney anxiously, and beyond confused, looked at Amarrah, the witch unable to come up with anything herself.

~ 0 ~

Back at Lucien's apartment, he had the very journalist behind the newest article that consisted of all the murder details. He took a glass of blood from her and headed into his bedroom, leaving the journalist to look over her article for a while.

He meant to return the briefcase that consisted of ingredients he used to cure himself of Jackson's bite, but became distracted by a leather-bound journal in the trunk. He picked up the journal and opened it up to the same page he always did when he came across it. Even though the drawing was over a thousand years old, he firmly believed the drawing of Cecilia de Ark remained as beautiful as she had been in her time. But then came the memories of her tragic ending, and he felt the fury that he had felt on that day...and never ceased to disappear completely. Those that caused her death would have their ending, and very soon.

~ 0 ~

Freya walked into the lounge room with an ice pack in hand, and found Elijah nervously pacing back and forth. "Dare I ask what's wrong now?" she sighed, slightly amused.

Elijah eyed the iced pack for a minute, when Freya gestured to her bruised forehead, and he dismissed it. "I received some unsettling information from Lucien Castle. I don't trust the source, but I... trust you."

Freya nodded, and in the next couple of minutes she had him and Klaus downstairs in the courtyard, preparing a spell that consisted of Klaus' blood and several other herbs.

"If you fed on this prophetic witch, her blood is still in your system. If there's a weapon that can kill you, we need to know," Freya lighted a tall, black candle and placed it on the center of the table where it would be surrounded by other small, lite white candles. She grabbed the bowl with Klaus' blood and put it down in front of three strips of papers with Norse runes on them, meant to have the names of the three remaining Originals.

Nervously, Freya dunk her fingers into the bowl, thus beginning the spell. "No mentre le prophecie que la otra ve. No mentre le prophecie que la otra ve."

As soon as she did, she felt the overwhelming power curse through her body. Her two brothers became concerned when blood began oozing from her right ear. She chanted louder, and more aggressively, but as she did more blood appear came from her other ear, and nose.

"Freya, stop!" Elijah reached out for her but Freya was now in depth with the visions of the -so-called prophecy.

She saw Elijah's painting that hung in one of the rooms being splashed with blood, as well as a beast with large, long and sharp fangs roaring and blaring out bloody teeth.

Out of the nowhere, the three strips of paper burst into flames. Freya came back, gasping deeply and opening her eyes. Although the flames slowly died out on their own, Freya looked worse for wear.

"It's true," she said grimly, "You have a terrible shadow over you. Rebekah, too. If this prophecy is fulfilled, you will all fall. One by friend, one by foe, and one...by family."

~ 0 ~

 _New York_

A young woman with straight, long black hair, finely dressed and wearing black, rounded sunglasses, walked into a diner, momentarily scanning the area until she spotted the person she came in for. She walked towards a booth where a young man was sitting. She glanced over a map settled on the table, and the laptop sitting in front of the man.

Upon seeing her, the young man smiled and motioned her to sit across him, "I'm glad you came."

"You knew very well I was on my way back to England," the woman berated him in a thick English accent, but smiled widely as if unsurprised the man had pulled that type of stunt. She pulled off her sunglasses, revealing bright blue eyes behind, and leaned forwards, "So, what was so important you just had to pull me from my jet, Xavier?"

The man, Xavier, chuckled and turned his laptop around, immediately capturing her attention. Xavier smiled proudly then, "Good, huh? I found that a couple hours ago."

"Lucien Castle," the woman breathed in, "What about him!?"

"It seems like he's donated a large amount of money to clean up a bayou, near…" Xavier drew out the word as he went to the map of the United States, pointed to the spot of New Orleans, "...here."

"Really? And you're telling me because…?"

"Well, over the last year or so, there have been reports of strange disappearances, and fights in the French Quarter. And now suddenly the old vampire Lucien is heading over there? Why?"

The woman's eyes widened, the delight pouring from her eyes, "You think, that... _he's_ there?"

The man smirked and gave a nod, "I am willing to bet my life that if you were to go there, you would find Klaus Mikaelson."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

BAM. A big chapter to start it all off! Whaddya think so far? I gotta say my favorite part was where Maleny called everyone out on their shit towards the end. When I watched that episode I literally wanted to throw my tv out at how hypocrites Hayley & Jackson were being. It's my opinion and I'm entitled to it. Like, everyone messed up in the season 2 finale and no one can deny that. Basically what Mal said to everyone is what I wanted to say *smiles widely*. Because, ladies and gents, in the Originals, _no one_ is a good person.

A reminder and a note for new readers: this story will get updated every 2 weeks!


	2. Delving into History

_"Help me! Someone, please! Oh, please help!" Cecilia de Ark desperately cried from the ground, almost to tears from such pain she felt in her leg. Along with her, her horse whinnied in distress for its owner. "Please!"_

 _The bushes rattled until Klaus and Lucien appeared, Lucien slightly out of breath after the speedy run he had to do to get there. Both had been in the courtyard along with others when, through his supernatural hearing, Klaus heard the calls of Cecilia from the forest. With Lucien being nearby, Klaus was forced to tell him of the matter._

 _"My lady!" Lucien exclaimed and ran to the dark-haired woman. "What happened?"_

 _"I-I have no idea," Cecilia sniffled as Lucien tried helping her up. "I was riding...on my own," she added guiltily, for she was not allowed to do such things. "My horse," she gestured to the white horse near them, "she just…"_

 _"She's afraid," Klaus finished for her, settling the horse for them._

 _"OW! OW!" Cecilia cried harder the moment she put force on her left leg. She nearly fell back, even with Lucien's support, if Klaus hadn't sped to them and pulled her forwards to him. Cecilia's eyes widened in alarm, the first thing doing was looking at Lucien. "Lucien…" she said shakily, in utter fear._

 _"I-I-I-It's alright, my lady," Lucien gently said, motioning with his hands._

 _"What...what are you?" Cecilia slowly looked Klaus up and down, very aware he was still holding her and frightened of what could happen next._

 _"I am the man that heard you crying out here," Klaus said sternly, and also a bit rudely, "so you will say nothing of this."_

 _"Oh, because that makes me feel so much more secure," Cecilia momentarily frowned. "What are you?" she demanded again, more fiercely._

 _"Something you are not prepared to see," Klaus devilishly smirked at her. "No worries, we do not mean to harm anyone in this place."_

 _"Let me go right now," Cecilia then ordered. Klaus gave a light shrug before releasing the woman, as she had ordered. Cecilia fell with a hiss as her broken leg harshly hit the ground. Appalled, Cecilia glared up at him. "Have you no manners!?"_

 _"You ordered and I listened," Klaus reminded while Lucien scrambled to help the woman up. "Count yourself lucky, I don't do that for anyone."_

 _"Lucien, what kind of family did you bring to our home?" Cecilia looked at the man with a disappointed aura._

 _"They will not hurt you," Lucien promised her. "Now please, allow us to bring you back to the castle where the healer can help you."_

 _Cecilia nodded but when Lucien moved her forwards she yelped as a pain jabbed in her back. "Oh!" she exclaimed, throwing Klaus an irritated look. "I hurt my back because of you!"_

 _"Please, my lady," begged Lucien again, "accept his help."_

 _Klaus extended his arms towards the woman but she refused, shaking her head. "I would much rather have **you** carrying me back," she promptly said._

 _"But it will not look well if I did that," Lucien insisted, glancing at Klaus for some help._

 _Klaus rolled his eyes but yielded. "He is right, Cecilia. People's tongues here have a manner of speaking what they should not. Do not give them a reason by having him carry you in on his own."_

 _Cecilia silently looked between the two men, figuring they were right. And under no circumstances did she want anything to happen to Lucien because of her. She gave her consent with a nod, and so Klaus came forwards and swooped her up into his arms. Lucien went for the horse and slowly walked after the two._

* * *

"So, there is the friend part," Klaus was telling the story to Elijah and Freya from the lounge room of the compound.

Freya, knowing there was that irritating word coming in, said it herself, "Buuuut?" she rolled her eyes.

Klaus smiled innocently, "But," he said it himself as well, "then came some...troubles…"

* * *

 _At the De Martel's, a celebration was taking place. Out in the field were many tables holding meals and trinkets for the entertainment. Music rang throughout the field, and while some danced to it, others chose to mingle. In a practice area, several women of the Court, including Aurora herself, sat on the grass and intently watched Elijah and Tristan practiced throwing axes are wooden circles across them. Not too far away was Klaus, sitting on a chair and far more entertained by whittling a horse figurine from a wooden chunk._

 _Still slightly hobbling, Cecilia came towards the table beside him, discreetly talking to him while looking for a good snack. "I did not know people like you could do such calming, human things," she mused._

 _Klaus smirked, knowing she was still overly displeased with their encounter in the forest. "And I did not know women like you could still walk so calmly and converse with 'people like me' without a scream of terror."_

 _Cecilia looked up, now holding a berry in her hand. "The only reason I have not informed my cousin, or my uncle, about your family is because Lucien has assured me you mean us no harm. But do not mistake that as a kind welcome from me."_

 _"Oh, so I have no 'thank you' deserved from you after saving you?" Klaus momentarily stopped whittling. "Because of me we were able to find you before the sun set. Have you no manners, Lady Cecilia?"_

 _Cecilia rolled her eyes, looking more amused now. "Hmm, I suppose."_

 _Klaus waited a minute for such 'thank you' but it never came. "Well?"_

 _Cecilia dropped the berry into her mouth and smirked. "Oh, I never said I would give it to you."_

 _"Well, that was certainly rude."_

 _"You were the one that dropped me on the floor!" At the reminder, Klaus laughed. Cecilia huffed, "Stop it!" she ordered, but for another minute or so, it went on. Neither saw Aurora's eyes drift to them, slightly irritated with the exchange._

 _"Only because you ordered it," Klaus pointed at Cecilia, slowly sobering up._

 _"You are impossible," Cecilia mumbled as she reached for another berry on the table. Klaus smirked again, making it wider when she looked back to him._

* * *

"So…" Freya nodded, hearing the newest addition to the story, "...you slept with his first love?"

Klaus made a face, apparently letting her know it was worse than that. "Not...exactly," he answered slowly, backtracking to the doors. He peered out into the hallways, making sure Maleny was no where near before closing them.

"What are you doing?" Freya curiously wondered after he turned back to them.

"Isn't it obvious?" Elijah asked, calmly sitting in one of the couches with a drink in hand, apparently more amused than he needed to be. "He doesn't want Maleny to overhear what comes next."

Freya raised her eyebrows, confused, while Klaus shot him a glare.

"Please," Elijah raised his glass to his lips, motioning Klaus with a hand to keep going.

* * *

 _Aurora de Martel paced in an alcove near her room, rather impatiently, as she waited for someone to come through. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, making her quickly turn around and see Klaus. The two smiled at each other, and without a word, began kissing. Klaus pushed her against a wall and deepened their kiss._

 _"No, stop!" they then heard from a distance, clearly a man's voice._

 _"Let me-" went a second voice, that of a woman's. In the next couple of seconds, Cecilia appeared, apparently being half pulled back by Lucien who was more than terrified._

 _"What are you doing?" Aurora hissed at her cousin._

 _"Saving you, what else!?" Cecilia snapped, looking far more angry than Aurora was. "You need to leave," she pointed at Klaus, "They're coming!"_

 _Klaus sent a look to Lucien, almost regretting saving the woman in the first place. "What is she going on about?"_

 _"Do not treat me like I am not in the room!" Cecilia shouted, enraging Aurora further._

 _"Quiet!" she stalked towards Cecilia, "I'm meant to be in prayer!"_

 _"Then I suggest you get back to it before they find you here," Cecilia upheld her own glare, and being taller than the redhead it was more effective. "The guards were on their way - Lucien and I came through the other way. We came to warn you."_

 _Before Aurora could dispute the matter, Klaus confirmed the story as he heard the steps of the guards growing closer. "It's too late. The guards are coming…"_

 _The group heard the loud voices of the men, along with the weapons' clattering. Aurora visibly panicked and stepped back, turning to Klaus, "If the guards know, then Tristan himself will be alerted!"_

 _"I will deal with them," Klaus assured, but Aurora shook her head._

 _"No. No, Niklaus, he is my brother!"_

 _"LEAVE!" came Cecilia's loud order. "If you wish for your family's safety then leave already!"_

 _"Go! Now, please! By the window, the same as you came!" Aurora begged Klaus, taking his hand and pulling him for the window._

 _"Lucien, I think you should go as well," Cecilia then told him, far softer than her earlier orders. "It would not bode well for you if they found you here. Better they find two rebellious cousins alone then with men."_

 _"You will be punished for this," Lucien shook his head, "You must come with us."_

 _Cecilia warmly smiled for his care. "I would only slow you down. Please, just go."_

 _"Lucien, follow me!" Klaus urgently exclaimed as he took his leave through the window, never looking back however._

 _"Lucien, go!" Cecilia resorted to pleads as well when Lucien refused to move from his spot._

 _"He will get us into trouble!" Aurora frantically came towards them._

 _"You should have thought of that before entangling yourself with that man," Cecilia promptly snapped at her. "We came to save you and-"_

 _However, Aurora's brother, Tristan walked into the room with two guards. For a minute, he couldn't tell the scene...and Aurora looked between her cousin and the servant for only a minute before making up a foul trick._

 _"Tristan! You should have seen what I witnessed," Aurora ran to her brother, feigning disgust._

 _"Aurora…" Cecilia gaped, both stunned at the betrayal, and terrified for what would now happen to them next._

 _"Take him!" Tristan pointed at Lucien, and the guards quickly acted._

 _"What? No!" Cecilia ran up to the guards but one of them grabbed her and pushed her into Tristan. "Aurora is lying! She is lying! Stop it! Don't take him!"_

 _But no one listened to her, and Lucien was taken away in a half drag as he too pleaded...but for Cecilia's well-being._

* * *

Klaus took a long breath after finishing up the story. "And, given the circumstance, Lucien qualifies as both friend and foe, and according to Freya's prophecy…"

"Alright," Freya tried not to look as displeased as she was from the story, "So we have that, but let's not forget about family," she sighed.

Neither brother wanted to think about that as well. "Lucien's two out of three- I say we put him down," Klaus said, feigning cheerfulness, "Just like old times."

"Before we murder Lucien, there are certain questions that need to be answered," Elijah reminded, "Chiefly, what is he doing here? And the wolf venom... Why would he lie to you, his sire? I'm afraid we might have to resort to something deliciously medieval here, brother…"

But before any further word could be said, the doors slid open and Maleny poked her head inside. "Hmm, doors closed and yet I'm the only one outside who can't supernaturally hear what's being said in here…" she sarcastically smiled at the three, "Trying really hard not to have my feelings hurt because clearly I'm not invited into this conversation."

"It was a silly, family talk," Klaus waved her off, but realized his error all too late.

" _Family_ talk," Maleny repeated with a bitter laugh. "Keep talking, you're making me feel _so_ much better." Klaus sighed and turned to her, barely starting to walk for her when she pointed at him with a warning finger. "Forget it, clearly I am only a nuisance nowadays." She frowned and purposely sliding the doors harder than needed.

Freya awkwardly cleared her throat and leaned on the desk behind her. "Remind me again why we aren't telling her of the prophecy?"

"Because it is better this way," Klaus muttered, still half thinking of going after Maleny. "As you see, there are some things...that I would rather she not learn about."

"If she doesn't learn it from you, she'll learn it from someone else," Elijah meant a goodhearted warning.

"Where it be about the prophecy or Aurora, the only other person in the know is Lucien himself," a wide grin spread across Klaus' face, "and he's about to die today."

~ 0 ~

Maleny had barely just entered her room when she heard her cellphone go off. She was a little content to see it was Amarrah, for she knew they were organizing a little celebration for Alton's and Yamilet's return. Even if it did all depend on Davina keeping some candle alive, being in human form again for longer than a mere couple hours was something worth celebrating. Frankly, Maleny was itching to get the hell out of the compound for a while. She couldn't take being lied to and having secrets be kept from her. She did not go through centuries of a curse for this.

"Hello?" she finally picked up the phone.

Unfortunately for Maleny, Amarrah was more concerned than needed to be if it were all about a party. "Mal, we've got a problem."

Maleny blinked, "Um...you need more streamers?"

Amarrah sighed, "Kinney stole my laptop and he used the notes in it to bring Lucien Castle in as a suspect. I'm scared of what the guy will do here."

Maleny bit her lip nervously, "No, no, he won't. Hang on, I'm on my way." And before she could hear a 'no' Maleny hung up the call. Grabbing her things she dashed out of her room. She was able to successfully sneak out of the compound without so much as a glance her way. It seemed the secret conversation was far too good to reopen the doors.

Well, that was just fine, thought Maleny. If Klaus wouldn't tell her anything, she would get the information from his 'old acquaintance' that probably was the source of all secret conversations.

~ 0 ~

Cami had gathered all the vampires of the Quarter at Rousseau's, which was currently closed for the meeting to take place. "As long as this serial killer's in the news, cops are gonna be all over this city like a rash. So, no feeding on tourists, and don't even _think_ about going near the locals."

Josh, annoyed with their situation, made a response, "So, what, then? Puppies and bunnies?"

Not remotely amused, Cami shot him a glare. "Josh, you can talk to our contacts at the blood banks and hospitals. Let them know you'll be coming by." She then turned back her attention to the others. "For the rest of you, keep everyone else in line. Klaus and Elijah will get it sorted out, and we'll be back in business in no time."

However, a dark-skinned woman, dressed in business attire, entered the place. Her dark eyes laid on Cami with a look that had the blonde under a shiver, and not the good kind. "Somehow, I doubt that. Your current dilemma will get worse before it gets better. The good news is, I can help!"

Although curious of the woman, Cami stepped towards her and warned, "I don't know who you are, but you definitely walked into the wrong place, so you might want to turn and exit."

The woman nerely smiled. "I'm Aya. Nice to meet you, Camille O'Connell. Now, are you going to be rude, or are you going to offer me a drink?"

Cami tilted her head, annoyed now. "I don't have time for this." She gestured to one one of the vampires. "Get her out of here."

Aya dropped her smile, "A shame... I'd heard you were leader who aimed to make newcomer feel safe and welcomed. What a disappointment."

The moment the vampire ordered to take her out touched her shoulder, Aya grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm, making it break. She kicked him in the stomach and jumped onto his shoulders, entangling her legs around his neck. She twisted her hips and snapped his neck. She gracefully landed on her feet and looked around for a response.

Everyone, including Cami, were stunned.

"Thing is," Aya continued like nothing happened, "I was instructed not to leave without making you an offer." She pulled out a black business card and raised it up for Cami to see. "Will you hear my offer or not?"

Cami looked around, seeing the low possibilities of her people winning against the apparently trained vampire. Plus, she wasn't the kind of leader that charged into a fight without first knowing what was the other side. If there was something her psychology student years taught her, it was to be observant. She would need to see and study the moves of the opponent. And that was exactly what she planned to do that minute.

Cami walked towards the woman, pleasing Aya greatly. "Ah, acting like a proper lady - intelligent woman. Shall we?" she gestured for Cami to walk out first, and with one nervous glance back at the other vampires Cami left.

~ 0 ~

Lucien was calmly sitting in an interrogation room with Detective Kinney across him, pestering him about the murders which he was being accused of apparently. To be frank, he was quite bored and he did hate to be bored. So, when the door burst open and Maleny herself walked in, with Amarrah a couple feet behind, he felt like the party was finally getting started.

"What are you doing?" Kinney stood up, angrily looking at Amarrah for the imprudence.

Maleny remained at total ease. Her blue eyes flickered to Lucien. "Compel him to forget this and make him leave."

Amused at such an order, and just to see how this was going to go, Lucien obeyed. He compelled Kinney to forget the scene and leave them alone.

"Ams, you too," Maleny walked towards the table, missing Amarrah's fearful face, which clearly did not escape Lucien's judging by his laugh. Maleny sighed and turned to her friend, "I'm gonna be fine."

"But he's a murderer," the French witch said fearfully.

"Hey," Lucien feigned offense, "Whatever happened to 'innocent until proven guilty'?"

Maleny rolled her eyes but kept her back to him. "Amarrah, I'm going to be fine. I just need to talk to him. Go."

Though no where near convinced, Amarrah nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door behind. Soon as she did, Maleny turned back to Lucien, who was and ready widely grinning at her.

"I'm going to go on a hunch and say Nik doesn't know you're here…"

"You're gonna shut up and you're gonna talk," Maleny declared, her tone unusually cold as she sat down across him.

"Oh, you don't think I'm a murderer too, do you?" Lucien pouted.

"I don't know - the murders started the same day you got into town. All the victims match a pattern- wealth that, uh, you yourself seem to exude."

"Hmm! What I am is a ruthless, vicious, unstoppable killer," Lucien declared with utmost pride, "That's not to say I had anything to do with this- far from it."

"Look, I'm here on other business but if I get an admittance from you in the process, then hey, everyone wins," Maleny shrugged. "Why bother denying it if you are what you say you are?"

"You don't know me, Maleny," Lucien sighed.

"No, I don't," Maleny agreed, "And that's why I'm here to be honest."

"Well, I'd be more than happy to tell you about myself," Lucien leaned forwards, "and my first sentence would be that you and I are the same."

"Excuse me?" Maleny blinked, appalled at the accusation.

Lucien chuckled at her comical expression, and went on to explain. "All three of us, actually - the three out of four that survived after being caught in the orbit of Family Mikaelson, Though, each of us has our share of scars."

* * *

 _Tristan had Lucien bounded by the wrists in one of the castle's cellars, and viciously whipped the poor servant hard across the back. Lucien could only cry out in agony answer grip his restraints after each whip. However, his screams, eventually drew in Klaus and Elijah into the cellar._

 _Tristan greeted them with a dark smile, his face splattered with Lucien's blood. "Have you two come to watch as Lucien receives his punishment? I fear I'm being a touch lenient, given his intentions for my dear cousin."_

 _Klaus felt the inevitable guilt for the pair that had been accused and stepped forwards. "Why torture a loyal servant? I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding."_

 _Tristan's smile fell from his face, and he spoke to the two brothers coldly. "One that remains outside your concern. As son of the Count, I may discipline staff as I see fit. Should you take issue, then I'll need to remind you that you are a guest."_

 _He then returned to the two whipping, but Klaus could not let it slide any further. He went forth and grabbed Tristan by the arm. "Step away from him! Now."_

 _Tristan didn't look very scared as Klaus had meant it to be. "I know what you are," he surprised the two brothers. For a moment, Klaus believed Cecilia had not kept her word. "Our house servants speak of demons hunting in the night. I, myself, interviewed one such maiden. Quite pretty. Thus far, the only survivor of these attacks. I asked what manner of creature had hunted her. She said she was certain it was the Lord Kol, but with the face of a beast. Your entire family sought refuge here, claiming to be noblemen, when, in fact, you are fiends. I can only surmise that you are hiding, which means you're afraid. Somewhere out there, something is even more savage than you."_

 _While Elijah became anxious, Klaus was more infuriated and thus grabbed Tristan in a choke-hold. The human gasped as he bore witness to Klaus' vampire face came out._

 _"This is not going to be pleasant," but he nonetheless smirked._

 _Tristan gasped for air and sputtered out before any move was taken: "Do so at your peril. But, should any misfortune befall me, know that I have instructed my fastest riders to spread word of your presence here. Whomever seeks you would most certainly hear the news."_

 _"Niklaus, release him," Elijah ordered at once, seeing there was no point in Ina battle that would ensue Mikael's appearance even quicker._

 _Klaus eventually let the human go, but was not pleased to do so. Tristan slowly recompiled himself and sent the two brothers another smug smile. "See? We're not so different after all. You wish to protect your family. I wish to protect mine."_

 _Tristan turned back for Lucien, pulling out a knife from his belt for his next move. He grabbed Lucien by the hair and, to everyone's horror, he pushed the knife into Lucien's skin and drew it across his face, from ear to ear._

* * *

Maleny blinked in utter horror, "Oh my…" slowly, her eyes released the horror and filled with newfound apologies. "That is awful. I...I don't even know how to respond to that." She shook her head, suddenly thinking of a detail she hadn't yet heard. "But I don't understand, why were you there in the first place? The torturer...he spoke of a cousin…?"

Lucien sighed, "Cecilia. She was his cousin, and…"

Maleny could easily see through the man's eyes the clear affection stored for this woman. "You liked her," she finished for him, almost teasing him. Lucien gave her a sharp look, though probably more amused than he wanted to admit. "Tell me, did the spoiled woman ever even direct a word to you?"

"You'd be surprised to know she was far from the stereotypical rich girl this world has built," Lucien gave a hint of a smile.

* * *

 _Cecilia quietly sat on the edge of her bed, her broken legged propped up over a pillow...and her back comforted with another. She was boredly picking at her nails when there was a knock on her door._

 _"Come in," she said without looking up. A couple seconds later, Klaus emerged, only garnering annoyed groans. "I do not wish to speak to you!"_

 _Klaus laughed at her apparent annoyance, "I am not here for you, Cecilia. I'm merely offering a chance for you two to converse without being caught."_

 _Confused, Cecilia pursed her lips, about to question him further when she saw Lucien coming in behind. Immediately, her demeanor changed and she smiled widely, reaching out for him._

 _"Oh! You came!" she laughed._

 _"You have a little while," warned Klaus before leaving and shutting the door._

 _"Hm, your friend is useful for something after all," Cecilia mused to Lucien who went for a chair. When she saw him she shook her head and called for him, "No, come here," she scooted from the edge and patted a spot._

 _Lucien was startled and made it known. "It would not be…"_

 _Cecilia warmly smiled at him, still patting the spot for him. "I do not care. Will you not be near me?"_

 _"I could barely stand being **away** from you," Lucien sheepishly responded with as he sat down on the edge of her bed._

 _Cecilia chuckled, leaning back, but then sighed as she slowly grew quieter. "To be quite honest, sometimes I think you are the only one that cares for me in this place."_

 _Seeing her growing sadder urged Lucien to act and bring back her smiles which he did love to see. "Everyone here loves you, my lady."_

 _Cecilia quietly scoffed, her gaze stuck to her window on the side of the room. "My uncle keeps me here out of pity, my cousin Tristan sees me as a nuisance and Aurora finds every suitable moment to make me look bad in front of everyone. They do not love me. And they are my family, supposedly." She slowly reached out for Lucien's hand, giving him a half-smile. "Yet you, who is only but a friend, have shown me more kindness and affection than everyone else put together."_

 _Lucien gripped her hand in his, pleased he was valued by her honestly. "Friend, servant, I shall always be at your side." He surprised himself by actually reaching out with his free hand to caress her cheek, though very much happy to see her accept it without a hint of reluctance._

 _Cecilia leaned towards him, her face flushed and warm from his touch. "I wish to be at your side as well." This time **she** touched his face, caressing it. "Please do not leave this place, ever?" she whispered close to his lips._

 _Falling under her spell, Lucien slowly nodded, his eyes trained on her lips. They seemed to be drawing him, wishing for things that were not supposed to be. He pushed those warning voices away and rested a hand on Cecilia's neck, gently pulling her for a kiss._

* * *

"You actually... _loved_ her," Maleny realized and felt ashamed for her earlier teasing. "But, but why would she allow you to be tortured like that?"

"Cecilia was not always treated fairly, but no one could ever challenge Tristan de Martel," Lucien, still bitter, muttered. "Not even the Mikaelsons as you were told. Cecilia was locked away in her room, I imagined."

"Well, not to sound rude, then, but why would you so freely interact...intimately-" Maleny coughed, "-if you knew the dangers of being caught?"

"We were not!" Lucien angrily snapped, startling her. He took a minute to calm himself before explaining further. "The irony," he began with a small chuckle, "Cecilia and I were wrongly accused."

"How so?"

"Cecilia was kind, you see, and while her family did not treat her with the same kindness she treated them, she always looked out for them. She sought out Aurora, in the midst of her relation with Nik, to warn them guards were headed their way."

Maleny had let Lucien speak until he was done, but after hearing Klaus' name being thrown in there her mind faltered. "E-excuse me? Nik? K-Klaus was there with...with that woman? Aurora?"

Lucien blinked, in genuine horror he had apparently let out an unknown story of Klaus'. "You...you didn't know...you didn't know about this?"

Maleny shot him a glare. "Does this look like the face of someone that knew?"

"Ooh, now Klaus is really going to kill me…"

Maleny gritted her teeth and leaned forwards. "If there's anyone that's going to be killed it'll be him for not telling me all this. Lucien, I came here to learn of you and of what was going on because apparently, Klaus doesn't think I should know. So tell me, or I'll make sure _you_ die."

~ 0 ~

Meanwhile, Elijah and Klaus had gone to Lucien's apartment to find the old vampire. Instead, they came across the seer that had first shown them the prophecy, Alexis. Alexis was then...politely asked...to show the brothers the visions of their future.

Before they began, Alexis warned them, "Since family is one of your concerns, and you two are brothers, are you so sure you want to see what I have to show you?" she brushed her hair from her neck.

"Oh, I never could resist a good spoiler," Elijah mused as he and Klaus moved forwards.

Elijah bit into her neck while Klaus did the same to her wrist. They both saw visions then, but now different. There was an old spell page before them with unreadable words over it. They saw next saw Elijah's portrait being splashed with blood. The scene then changed to that of an older Asian woman with short, black hair crumbling some sort of herb into a cauldron over a wooden counter. It quickly flipped to Marcel who was angrily throwing a glass to the wall. It changed again to Cami having a spar with someone in an elegant room. It changed one last time to the police department where Lucien and Maleny were, holding hands over the table.

It all accumulated and shocked the two brothers, forcing them to quit feeding off the witch. As Elijah laid down the unconscious woman, Klaus angrily paced back and forth.

"What the hell is Lucien doing with Maleny!?" he raged. When had Maleny even snuck out of the compound? And how did she get to the police department? But more importantly: What. Were. They. Doing. Holding. Hands?

Elijah was a little more preoccupied thinking over the three scenes they had seen before, primarily to that of Cami's. He honestly didn't think Lucien would try something against their blonde witch in a public space. "And what of Marcel- family and friend?" he spoke quietly, "Cami, family and friend. Where do their loyalties lie?"

Klaus sent him a half smirk. "You tell me about Cami's, seeing as you are responsible for her newfound hatred for this family."

"And the first?" Elijah reminded. "Do you know her?"

Klaus thought for a minute of the Asian woman. "No, I don't think I do. In the meantime, find Marcel and Cami and question them."

"And where are _you_ going?"

"I'm going to eliminate an old friend before he gets his teeth into my sneaky blonde," Klaus backtracked out of the room until he turned and sped away.

~ 0 ~

Marcel was having a heated argument with Josh in his loft. After Cami had willingly gone with the mysterious woman, the vampires dispersed and Josh came straight to tell Marcel.

Marcel angrily threw his glass to the wall before turning to Josh. "And you just let her go with the woman!?"

Startled, Josh meekly answered, "She didn't exactly wait for us to give an opinion…"

"Well, who was this woman!?" Marcel demanded, growing more concerned for Cami as the seconds ticked by.

"I don't know," Josh shrugged. "She walked in like she owned the place. Said she had an offer to make to Cami."

"And just who was this woman, Joshua?" Elijah made an entrance into the loft. "Did this woman happen to have a name?"

Josh thought for a good while, until it popped into his head. "I think it was Aya…"

Elijah immediately sighed and closed his eyes. Marcel suspiciously stared at the suited Original. "Friend of yours?"

Elijah awkwardly coughed, shaking his head. "Not exactly - I sired her."

~ 0 ~

Maleny straightened herself in her chair and tried to act as less uncomfortable as she really was. In less than ten minutes she had learned about Aurora de Martel, her relationship to Klaus. Lucien himself was not as comfortable as he would've liked to be, but Maleny was continually asking and to please her he obeyed.

"So," Maleny broke the silence once more, "enough of the woman. Let's continue with you. I don't understand how you are here today, nor why you're here without that Cecilia."

Lucien's dark eyes lowered for a while, as he thought back, "For me, my wounds healed a thousand years ago…"

* * *

 _After Tristan had left, along with Elijah, Klaus quickly sought to break Lucien free from the binds. The sliced open cut across Lucien's face was stoll profusely bleeding._

 _"I brought you water. Drink," Klaus handed him a goblet for him to take._

 _Lucien tried to take a drink but as soon as he did he spit it out, the wound stinging him. "What did he do to me?" he saw through the water's reflection the wild cut across his face. Horrified, he dropped the goblet and gasped._

 _Feeling immensely guilty, Klaus hugged his friend. "Oh, I am sorry, my friend."_

 _During the hug, Lucien found Tristan's knife on the ground and used it to stab Klaus in the stomach. "This was **your** fault!" Lucien yelled the accusation as Klaus pulled the knife from his stomach. "_

 _"This rage is pointless, you cannot hurt me," Klaus said in frustration as he waved the bloody knife._

 _Lucien would not listen and tried retrieving the blade through a wrestle. Trying to yank it to away, Klaus accidentally cut Lucien's palm open. Yelping in pain, Lucien stopped to analyze his palm, only to be in awe as the wound healed itself. A couple seconds later, the wound across Lucien's face healed up as well._

 _Both men were equally stunned at it. "My blood... healed you…" Klaus gasped, his eyes trailing the perfectly composed skin of Lucien's._

 _"I...am like you?" Lucien backed away from him. Before Klaus said anything back, at least to confirm, he rushed out with the blade in hand._

* * *

"You did know Klaus' blood had _only_ healed you right?" Maleny gently asked, fearing the answer gravely.

Lucien seemed troubled by the memory but did his best to play it off. "Come now, Maleny, you and I both know the answer to that. And during the time, I wasn't entirely concerned over it. All I wanted was revenge against the ones that wronged me and Cecilia."

* * *

 _"Tell me what should I do with you dear cousin?" Tristan demanded calmly, yet the hard slap across the face he gave to Cecilia fiercely contrasted his demeanor._

 _Cecilia fell to the ground, her face covered in tears as she pleaded with him. "I am telling you the truth, Tristan. Aurora has lied to you out of her own fear." She raised her gaze up to the man, her words spaced out due to her sobs. "I do not mean for her to be punished...but...but I would...I do not...wish for Lucien to be...punished as well…"_

 _Tristan harshly grabbed the woman by her arms and yanked her up. "It is clear your affections for the servant just by the way you beg for that which is already done!"_

 _"LEAVE HER!" Lucien had found his way back to the room and was enraged to see Cecilia in such a way because of her own family._

 _Tristan let Cecilia go during his confusion, and horror of the blood covered man. "How, by all that is damned, are you free?"_

 _Lucien went straight for the kill, but before he could even touch the man one of Tristan's guards stabbed him from behind._

 _Cecilia screamed in horror as the sword went through Lucien's chest. "NOOO!"_

* * *

"And so, the last thing I saw before I died, was my dear Cecilia..." Lucien sighed, still clutching the memory like it happened yesterday, "...sobbing for my apparent death."

Maleny's hard demeanor seemed to falter after hearing so much. She could see it was all still raw pain, and no matter what it wasn't her right to intrude on it. "I'm terribly sorry for that," she whispered, "But clearly you awoke from that death, and I imagined you went to Cecilia…"

"Eventually," Lucien agreed with a nod, though there was that bitter tone Maleny detected was for a tragic ending. The man still would not look at her as he went on. "But, you do recall I said _three_ out of four _four_ survived the tale?"

Maleny sucked in a breath, "Mhm…"

"The hatred went so much, that in the end, her own cousin murdered her."

"Tristan?"

"No, the other one: Aurora."

Maleny's eyes widened up, perfectly horrified. "But...but why? If all this is true, Cecilia did nothing but help her-"

Lucien's anger overwhelmed him and he abruptly cut her off in an almost shout. "Because Aurora de Martel is a bloody psychopath with no love for anyone but herself! I was too late, and I couldn't save Cecilia!"

Maleny flinched but allowed the man a minute to compose himself. She felt awful, and she didn't even know why for he was a stranger in the end. Without thinking, she leaned forwards and took his hands into her own. "I am _so_ sorry," she whispered to him. "No one should lose their love under those circumstances. But I'm sure Cecilia knew you were at no fault. If she was sweet and kind as you say, and she loved you, then it was for a reason don't you think?"

Mildly amused with her, Lucien smiled, "Oh, now I know why Klaus is so taken with you…"

"What?"

"You have that _adorable_ ability to make one feel that much less of the monster they truly are." Maleny slowly slid her hands from his, startled. Lucien just chuckled. "Cecilia had the same ability with her family, and for a time with me."

Maleny smoothed her blouse in an effort to get through the awkwardness. "Listen, I know you told me all, but I need to know one more thing. Why are you here? If it's true you haven't seen Klaus in a thousand years, why show up now?"

Lucien raised an eyebrow at her. "Has he not told you of the prophecy? I am here to help keep him safe."

"What?" Maleny blinked. "What prophecy?"

"Well, I might as well say it all and then prove my innocence in the process," Lucien shrugged, seeing it as a double win. "There is a prophecy that foretells the downfall of the remaining Originals. One will fall by friend, another by foe, and another by family. And, seeing as I am in no mood to perish, I came here to warn Klaus and protect him. And that would be difficult to do if I were the one murdering insignificant humans and leaving the trail to me. Unlike my enemies, I have nothing to gain."

Maleny was overwhelmed by all she had recently learned, but the prophecy was by far the worst. How could Klaus not share this with her? Not even a peep. She could understand the difficulty to share with her about this Aurora, but the prophecy involved the entire family!

"Enemies…" Maleny whispered the key word, her eyes slowly raising to Lucien, "...are your 'enemies' already in town, then? Are they the ones trying to frame you?"

"Now, isn't that the question we should be asking?" Lucien dramatically groaned, having lost interest now that he explained his innocence. "But how fortunate it's one I can answer. And hopefully get the hell out of here."

"That would be nice, wouldn't it?" Maleny smiled, slightly amused.

However, in that moment, Klaus burst through the door, more than displeased to find the two together. "I would ask what it was you intended on doing here but I fear the answer would be even more displeasing than the sight."

"Well, I had to get answers somewhere," Maleny sighed, allowing him to pull her from her chair, "And when this opportunity showed up, I snagged it."

"Are you mad?" Klaus honestly wanted to know at the moment.

"No!" Maleny pushed his hand from her arm, "I'm _furious_! How could you not tell me of this...prophecy? What, did you think you could hide it from me forever?"

Klaus threw a sharp glare attached Lucien. Immediately, Lucien raised his hands in a non-threatening manner. "I thought it would be better if she knew in case she decided to turn on you-"

"Hey!" Maleny cut him off, irritated he was actually going with that cheap excuse. "I would never," she quickly looked at Klaus then, repeating herself in far more serious tone, "I would _never_."

Klaus' anger slowly simmered as he touched her face, speaking calmer to her. "You need to go. I don't want you to be in here, with him," he briefly glanced to Lucien.

"Are you really going to make me leave?" Maleny asked, more than disappointed, and openly displaying it across her features. It was those looks that made it difficult for Klaus to keep looking her in the eyes.

"Just...for a moment," Klaus said, in the end looking to the side.

Maleny masked her pain with anger. " _Fine_ ," she snatched her bag off the floor and pushed past him.

Lucien watched the interaction with great interest, and a little of amusement. "That little look they give you is unlike any other thing, isn't it, Nik?" More angry he was speaking, Klaus turned to him. "Cecilia used to do something like that. Oooh," Lucien whistled, "its like they make you regret who you are, because it hurts _them_."

"Shut your mouth," Klaus then ordered and went for him, angrier than ever. He spoke about Maleny as if he knew her, as if he knew about them and _no one_ anything about them.

~ 0 ~

Cami felt completely out of place in the top, elegant room of the elite group 'the Strix'. What was more, she was out of breath. The woman, Aya, had surprised her by starting a small spar between them, and though she was severely confused by the radical mood swings of Aya, Cami didn't back down.

"Can you explain, once and for all, why I'm here?" the blonde stood across Aya, regulating her slightly speedier breath.

Aya smugly smiled, knowing the perfect way to begin. "My friends and I could help with your daylight ring situation we hear your in."

Cami raised her eyebrows, clearly interested. "Okay. Now you have my attention. Must I keep fighting you, though?"

Aya chuckled and straightened up, apparently finished with the fighting. "Camille O'Connell, you were caught in a crossfire of the Mikaelsons, and lived to tell the tale. Not everyone has had the same fortune."

Cami was surprised to hear a stranger telling her her history, but played it off like she was calm. "Are you here to tell me my background? I'm pretty sure I know it all."

Aya's smile grew wider, seemingly more liking towards Cami, "This vampire community has gone through so many battles, and a full war. But under your leadership, there has been a remarkable progression - and longtime peace."

Cami wasn't one to flaunt her triumphs, and so was uncomfortable with Aya's talk. "Marcel had a pretty good thing going long before I was even born…"

"Oh, yes," Aya agreed, but also added, "But he had the city to the near brink of war by restraining the witch covens from their magic, and banishing the werewolves to the bayou. He had the city under control to an extent. You, however, have ensured all factions live in harmony."

"Civilized," Cami corrected firmly. "Being human and living in the supernatural world allowed me a different perspective most people fail to have nowadays."

"And what a marvelous city you have created," Aya reiterated. "Let us help you return New Orleans to what it should be, with you as its Queen."

Although Cami was fairly interested in the offer, she knew better than to trust a woman who appeared literally out of nowhere. "That's a great sales pitch, really, but I'm not looking to be anyone's Queen. And, even if I were, I would certainly love to know who's this 'us' you mention."

Aya smirked, "The oldest society of vampires this world has ever known. We are called The Strix."

"Never heard of you," Cami declared instantaneously. "I doubt I want to, though."

"Oh," came a different, yet all too familiar, voice from the doorway. Elijah strode in, looking far more calm than he actually was. Once he had Freya do the locator spell on Cami and find her in this place, he nearly had a heart attack - if it was possible for vampires anyways. He didn't want Cami anywhere near the Strix. "The Strix are a quite the prestigious organization! Responsible for countless wars, numerous plagues, assassinations…"

Cami's eyes widened, clearly alarmed, but Aya's entire demeanor seemed unfazed by the accusations. "You have to break rules if you want to build a new world," she said easily and got up from her chair to greet the Original. "Hello, Elijah. It's been a while."

"You two know each other," she said in realization.

"Intimately," clarified Aya, now wearing a smirk across her face.

Cami looked between the two, unsure if she was feeling dread or...jealousy? Nah, it was definitely the first one…

Elijah didn't waste time and sped towards Aya, shoving his fist into her chest for her heart. "Whatever you are doing here, I know you're not alone."

"Elijah!" Cami exclaimed, "She wasn't doing anything!"

"Let her go, Elijah," a much calmer voice ordered the Original. Tristan de Martel and a dozen other vampires appeared in the room. "No need for this to become vulgar."

Elijah merely rolled his eyes with a light smirk, still not letting go of Aya's heart. "And there he is," he turned Aya around so that he could see Tristan. "Tristan."

"You all know each other," Cami breathed in, beginning to wonder what kind of mess she had gotten herself into.

"Quite," Tristan sent her a polite smile, although it didn't sit well with Elijah.

"Camille, stay back," he ordered her and released Aya from his clutches.

"I wasn't moving," she snapped at him, irritated she was once again being thrown in the sidelines without so much as an explanation of what was going on. "And if I was, I still would. I don't take orders from you."

Tristan seemed bemused by the blonde but didn't comment on them. He stepped towards Elijah, holding out a handkerchief for him. Elijah snatched it from him and so Tristan looked at the other vampires, ordering them, "Mr. Mikaelson and I require the room. Please leave us."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Cami muttered and turned to leave, ignoring Elijah's offended looks. Behind her went Aya and the rest of the vampires, but as they left Elijah knew that wouldn't be the last time Cami was brought into the Strix's way.

~ 0 ~

Back in the interrogation room, Klaus was still handling Lucien's sudden stay in the Quarter. "Whatever Tristan's role in this charade may be, have no fear. I will discover it. First, I'm going to drain you of vervain. Then, I'm going to ask you a few questions, and, once you've answered, if I'm feeling sentimental, perhaps I'll grant you a painless death."

Lucien completely dismissed the threats with a loud scoff. "Please, enough posturing! Ask me anything you want. As I've said, I am only here to protect you."

"And yet you lied about your werewolf bite. Why?"

"I simply didn't want to bother you! Don't you have greater concerns than a little wolf-bite that I can cure on my own?" Lucien picked up one of the files Amarrah had left behind earlier, "Let's discuss these absurd murders. If it were true that I was scattering bodies about and scarring up faces, then you would be right to assume I'm mentally unstable. I'm not, by the way. But, who would benefit most from you thinking that I am? Who else but Tristan? Because if you don't trust me- if you kill me and are forced to stand alone- wouldn't that benefit him?"

"It's a very interesting theory... only I don't need your protection," Klaus sarcastically nodded, "I'm quite capable of protecting myself."

"Undoubtedly. But who looks after your family, hmm?" Lucien then smiled widely, "Your friends? Maleny, for instance? Such associations make you vulnerable, and thus in need of me."

Klaus didn't take that last statement very well. He harshly hit the table with his hands and leaned forwards. "Simply because you lost your love in a moment of weakness does not mean I will have the same result."

"I didn't lose her because I weak," Lucien snapped. " _Your_ lunatic of an ex murdered her if you would so kindly remember. Now don't doubt me because of-" but at that moment, Detective Kinney came in, and having been compelled the first time he forgot he had left the witness with another person.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he looked straight at Klaus.

"I'm Mr. Castle's legal counsel…" Klaus met the man halfway and promptly compelled him again, "...here to ensure justice is served."

"Hmm, well, your client's not gonna need you today. We found another body. This one's fresh," Kinney then looked over to Lucien who was already smirking with triumph his name had been cleared in front of Klaus. "It couldn't have been you. You're free to go, Mr. Castle. Don't leave town."

Lucien stood from his chair, dramatically spreading his arms wide. "And, like a phoenix, I rise. Do think about what I said, Nik," he said before leaving, passing by Amarrah who had came in with Kinney.

~ 0 ~

"You waltz into my city unannounced with your flock of sycophants flaunting news of a threat," Elijah reviewed all that was wrong with the Strix in the short amount of time they had came into the Quarter, "All the while, your little lapdog Aya is attempting to lure in an innocent woman into this foul group."

Tristan rolled his eyes, but a smirk worked its way across the face. "Luring the innocent?" he scoffed. "I thought I was the one with a flair for the dramatic."

"Watch your tongue," Elijah coldly warned, walking over to the man. "I am not the patient, fun-loving social butterfly you might recall."

"Your little Cami is a potential recruit - she has nothing to do with the large issue we face," Tristan calmly explained, though knew it made no difference in Elijah.

"The larger issue?" Elijah arched a questioning eyebrow.

"You've no doubt heard about the war between the sirelines? Well, as it happens, your line, thanks to my Strix, has wreaked all manner of havoc on Lucien and his assorted interests. As a result, he's desperate to exterminate the lot of us- me, Aya, everyone you've sired. Of course, the economical way to complete this task would be for him to kill you. But you don't believe me. Perhaps you underestimate Lucien's ambition? While I doubt he'd have the gall to attack you directly, I believe he might try and find someone else to do it- namely, Niklaus."

Elijah narrowed her eyes. "What makes you so certain that Niklaus would select Lucien over his own family?"

"From what I've heard, he tortured his friend Marcel and let the mother of his child to be cursed, because he thought it was the logical way to defeat his enemy. With Lucien in his ear, how long before the logical thing is to get rid of _you_?"

"Well," Elijah discarded the attempt with a roll of his eyes, "how very fortunate, indeed, then- Niklaus is on his way right now to put Lucien out of our collective misery."

That unseemingly alarmed Tristan, enough to have him quickly say, "You have to stop him!"

"And why would I do that?"

"Lucien's seer believes there's an object capable of killing you."

"I'm well aware."

"Well, I don't have it. I'm quite certain my sister doesn't have it, either. Logically, then, one must assume that Lucien has it, or he knows where it is. If he dies, none of us will find it. Not until some other assassin attempts to use it against you. If you've any hope of finding that which can kill us all, Niklaus needs to be stopped."

~ 0 ~

Outside of the police station, Klaus and Amarrah watched Lucien from across the street waiting for an apparent ride home.

Amarrah had her head tilted as she studied the other vampire, "For the record, Vincent thinks you should kill him - I think he's kind of right. Look at all the problems he's caused in like four days."

"Where is Maleny?" Klaus asked after a minute of silence, having also been checking for the familiar scent of his blonde.

"Don't bother looking, she's long gone - and very angry," Amarrah couldn't help laugh.

"Of course she is," Klaus sighed.

"Do you know something," Amarrah turned to him with a curious look, "Cami always says the one thing she admires from you, and respects, is the way you never keep anything from Mal - no matter what it is you always tell her. I don't really understand the whole point of keeping secrets from her at this point...especially if it's because of that guy," she chucked a thumb in Lucien's direction.

"That guy," Klaus mimicked her careless tone for a minute, "happens to be the first of my sireline, which…"

Amarrah blinked, connecting his reluctance perfectly now. "He's the first person you ever turned. Is that why this is so hard for you, because he's the first of your sireline? Well," she crossed her arms, "I think the choice is fairly easy here: first of your stupid sireline," she raised one hand as a scale, "or the woman you love," she raised her other hand and tilted her head to the same side. "If you don't know what to choose, I'm quite sure a good smack in the head will make things clearer."

Klaus rolled his eyes, turning away from her. Although her words were carelessly put together, it did have a bit of a truth. Without so much as a word, he sped away after Lucien.

~ 0 ~

Back in the compound, Freya watched from the doorway a fuming Maleny pace in her room. She was up to speed with what happened in the police station, and while Maleny wasn't really saying anything anymore, Freya still stayed with her, knowing Maleny just needed someone to be there. Maleny stopped walking and looked around her room for a minute, before grumbling more words of anger against Klaus then continued pacing.

Freya sighed and leaned off the door hinge, "Mal, is there maybe a place you want to go to?" Maleny glanced at her all the meanwhile of her pacing, but said nothing. "I just meant that maybe a little time away from the compound would be good for you to cool down."

"I'm not the one that's at fault here," Maleny pointed at herself, huffing. "If anything, your brother needs to come into this room and apologize!"

"Well," Freya awkwardly shifted, "we all know Niklaus' streak of apologies is not so...big…"

"I don't give a damn, he's giving one to _me_ ," Maleny gritted her teeth. "Because I deserve one after all I found out. I had to literally go to a frikin police station and talk to some guy I don't even know."

"He didn't mean to cause you harm," Freya used what little she could to simmer some of Maleny's anger. While she didn't agree with Klaus' decision to keep quiet, she could also see there was a genuine fear of how Maleny would react to his past, and the newfound prophecy.

"How could you not tell me about this prophecy, Freya?" Maleny sighed, the question not asked with the same anger she had for Klaus. It was just hurt, offense.

"I just learned of it myself last night," Freya first clarified, raising her hands in innocence. "And Klaus was very firm with his decision this morning."

"I don't very much agree with it," Maleny declared and crossed her arms with another great big huff.

But before either woman could say or add more, Klaus appeared behind Freya, along with Elijah - neither seemed in great moods. It turned out Lucien could not be killed for he was the only one that knew of a weapon capable of killing an Original. They would have to wait until Lucien - or them 0 found it before any killing could happen.

"Speak of the devil," Maleny gestured to the hybrid who made his way inside the room. "Don't worry, I'm here...staying still," she stood a dramatic rigid position. "Good enough for you?"

"Come Freya, we need to discuss matters," Elijah gently took away the other witch, closing the door after them so the other two could resolve their business alone.

"Must I assume Lucien is dead because he told me the truth?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, letting her rigidness go.

"He's alive, for now, due to an unseeable obstacle," Klaus answered her. He tried laying a hand on her but she stepped away from him, making him sigh. "This was exactly why I didn't want you to learn of anything of Aurora and the past. You were bound to be angry with me."

"I'm angry because you didn't tell me _anything_ ," Maleny, even more angry, corrected him. "Not because you had some relationship with an apparent psychopath who murdered her own cousin. You have a past, I get that. I'm angry with you because you kept this prophecy secret from me," her voice began to soften up, letting the actual pain be heard. "I'm angry that you thought you had to go behind my back. Have you learned nothing?" She sighed and crossed her arms, coming to stop in front of him. "You realize that's exactly what Elijah did to Cami - keep her out of the loop - and we all know how that ended up."

"I wasn't...I didn't…" Klaus was frustrated she was taking it all out of proportion, and making it a far bigger problem than he thought it was. "...I was merely trying to avoid certain arguments with you."

"Mhm," Maleny pursed her lips, sarcastically nodding, "and how exactly is it turning out?" She gestured to their current predicament. "Because I'm not happy, and you sure don't seem happy either. I don't get it, Klaus, why go through all this trouble just to hide a past relationship and a prophecy that spells death for this family, for _you_?" She pointed at him, the fear she was hiding momentarily flashing through her eyes. "That's something I need to know, don't you think?"

After a minute or so, Klaus gave in with a small nod. "I, suppose…" He guiltily looked at her.

"No, you _know_ ," Maleny quietly corrected him. "And from now on, I expect you to follow that. I love you, I do, but the moment I feel like I don't belong here anymore...I will leave."

The guilt was temporarily replaced with rash anger as Klaus took in the statement. "Are you threatening me?"

"No," Maleny replied calmly, "I'm just telling you what I want - honesty. I think I'm not asking for much."

The two upheld a long look, before Maleny sighed and walked around him out the door. For that night, she would not be sleeping in the same room with him.

~ 0 ~

A tall young man with dirty blonde hair and shiny, blue eyes entered a Chinese, old looking, voodoo shop. He pushed the jingling curtains and smiled upon seeing an older Chinese woman with short black hair and matching eyes.

"Jian," the man, clearly an English, greeted her delightfully.

The woman, Jian, looked up from a book with widened eyes, "Ooh, my Nick, you came back!"

Nicolas Mikaelson chuckled at the woman's excitement as he set a stool in front of the counter. "Believe me, I had a good reason coming back from Tokyo."

"Oh, and why is that? I believed you had to be hiding from your aunt...what was her name?"

"Dahlia," Nicolas rolled his eyes, the mere mention of the woman had his blood boiling.

"Yes," Jian nodded, "You said you had to be on the run. Why would you come back?" Nicolas held his breath in and stared at her, wondering if he was doing well bringing her in. Jian could tell he was debating silently and reached for his hand, warmly smiling. "Go on, Nick, you can tell me."

Nicolas slowly smiled, the excitement of the 'what if' so evident in his tone. "I have reason to believe my mother is awake - in her original body - and is with my father."

The news left Jian blinking rapidly. Having known the man's history, Jian was more than concerned of the accusation. "Are...are you sure? Do you have good evidence of what you claim?"

Nicolas reached his inside jacket's pocket and pulled out a folded, yet wrinkled, paper. "Months ago this appeared where I was," he handed the paper to Jian who quickly opened opened it up. "I was in a restaurant when this fell over my plate. Jian, this is impossible unless Dahlia had access to my parents' blood. And if this was by magic, she would have had to use my mother."

Jian placed the paper on the counter, grimly warning, "This could very well be a trick from your aunt."

Nicolas shook his head. "That's what I'm doubting. See, not too much after I received the letter, I felt my connection to Dahlia vanish. That does _not_ happen. I'm thinking, possibly, my parents put an end to her."

"Nicolas," Jian sighed.

"Jian _please_ ," Nicolas took the woman's hands, "I need you to help me find a coven of witches."

"Why?" Jian asked, utterly confused.

"Because, long ago I gave the Collins coven my mother's body to care for. And if it's true my mother is awake, then they would know." Nicolas gripped her hands, his voice shaking with frustration. "I have to know, Jian, please. Help me find the coven."

Jian sighed and gave into his request. She patted his cheek and moved out of her stool to go retrieve some spell ingredients on a shelf behind. As she came back holding a cauldron with green herbs yet to be teared apart inside, Nicolas happily rambled to her about his family.

"When I was a little kid and Marlenie and I bugged our mum about our dad, Mum would never tell us we wouldn't meet him. She always had hope for us. She always pointed to the sky that was filled with shiny stars and she would tell us that as long as we remained under the same stars of the Earth night, we would always be able to find each other."

And perhaps that would be happening very soon.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_**

Hello! I have to say, this was one of my favorite chapters to write! And there's a few this story that I can't wait to show you lol. And ta-da, we get a little bit of Nicolas and his mysterious whereabouts. Plus a little bit of Mal & Lucien and Cami & Aya didn't hurt right? ;)

 **For Reviews:**

Lmao right? She brought out the truth for everyone xD

Thank you! Hope you liked the new chapter! And, as we saw, Nicolas is coming soon - promise! :)

Dude, same here. I always go on rants about my characters lmao, even when they mess crap up xD. Well, now we know why Nicolas hasn't shown up yet: precaution! He's on his own mission by the looks of it xD. But I promise he will come into the story soon enough!

* * *

Soo, next chapter we get Halloween, costumes, and a Strix dance ;) Until then!


	3. On All Hallows' Eve

Cami unlocked the door of her apartment and held onto the keys as she stepped in, flicking on the light since it was darkish morning. She let her friend, Gia, go in first while she closed the door. The two had gone for some breakfast - a true, human breakfast - and had decided to come back to Cami's for a drink. It wasn't often they could spend time together seeing as Cami had plenty on her plate now that she held the reigns of the Quarter. Gia was glad to see that Cami was doing something she was actually passionate about, but somewhere inside Gia also knew that this was being treated as a distraction from Cami's true problems.

As soon as Gia walked in, she caught sight of a large, rectangular gift box lying on her coffee table along with a white masquerade mask. "Uuh...Cami?"

"What in the hell…?" Cami had turned around to see the box as well.

"Is this a gift, from, you know..." Gia began moving forwards. Without Cami's consent, because she knew the blonde would be against it, she opened the box herself to discover a golden one-piece outfit inside. It was clearly a fancy - off the shoulder - jumpsuit meant for a party. However, she barely grazed a hand over the sleeve when Cami's phone went off.

Seeing the 'Unknown' on her screen, Cami groaned and answered. "If this is some stupid way of getting me to talk to you, you are sadly mistake, Elijah."

"I apologize for the misconvenice, Miss O'Connell," Tristan de Martel's voice made Cami blush crimson of embarrassment. "I had the attire chosen for you, with my associate's Aya's opinion of course."

Cami coughed, still sobering up from her error. Gia's eyebrows rose in heavy interest as she listened in to the conversation. "Well, I don't know what type of woman you think I am-" Cami began.

"I assure you this has a good intention behind it," Tristan had an amused chuckle. "If you see behind the mask you will find an invitation card. Meet us there, won't you?"

Gia followed the instructions and found the card, seeing the address '7041 St. Charles Ave. Midnight' on it. She turned it over for Cami to read herself.

"What exactly am I getting myself into?" Cami thought to ask before she made any type of decision.

"I believe Aya told you a bit about The Strix- who we are, what we're capable of. Every few years, we gather to celebrate our status as the most elite creatures in the world. And, in the rare instance we feel we've identified someone worthy of our attention, we open our doors."

Cami scoffed, "What makes you so sure I'm interested in you?"

"You haven't hung up the phone yet. I understand you've fostered quite a community here in New Orleans on your own. And at your mere vampire age, it is _highly_ impressive."

"I have a way with people," Cami rolled her eyes, sick of hearing so much surprise that she could handle the Quarter.

"We can offer you a global network- resources, access, power. You might have not known it, Camille, but you were born to be a leader. Why stop at just one city you didn't even create?"

"...I like my home, thank you very much."

"And there is no shame on that. By all means, if I've failed to pique your interest,disregard this call. If, on the other hand, you feel you'd be a worthy addition to our ranks... Join us. Tonight. And, don't be late."

When Tristan hung up, Cami slowly put down the cellphone over the onesuit, picking up the invitation again.

"So," Gia turned the card over between her fingers, "what are you going to do?"

~ 0 ~

Maleny and Freya were standing on the balcony of Freya's bedroom, overlooking the Halloween celebration going on below amongst the humans. It wasn't even night yet and people were already out having parties and whatnot.

"I don't...get it," Maleny said after a long silence, her eyes fixated on the funny costumes some humans decided to wear, "People just dress up as a character, or something else, for... _candy_?"

"The children do," Freya pointed out, both still in the process of fully understanding the modern century.

"So what do the grown ups do?" Maleny leaned forwards as a peculiar, sparkly costume caught her eyes.

"That," Freya pointed out, making Maleny roll her eyes at the sarcastic response, "and of course get drunk. There'll be quite the wild parties tonight."

"Interesting," Maleny pulled away with a chuckle, "Perhaps I can give it a go, then?"

"By all means, but beware of the lunatics that run around the streets today," Klaus' voice made both witches turn to find him at the doorway, looking directly to Maleny, who still refused to fully forgive him for his secrets.

"Isn't that everyday?" she pretended to be caught up with more costumes in the streets. "The only difference now is I could be a…" she leaned slightly over the rail, "...what is that?" she nudged Freya in the direction of a group.

"Indians," Freya said for her.

Maleny scowled, "Well, that's offensive." She turned to Klaus, acting completely at ease. "I could be one of those kitty-cats I keep seeing. Or the mouse," she added abruptly, slowly going for the doors. "What's the deal with the stupid mouse?" she said quietly as if she were talking to herself, and perhaps she was. "What kind of mouse wears polka-dots and a dress?"

Klaus followed her out of Freya's bedroom, highly amused by the charade Maleny was throwing at him. "I do have suggestions if you would like to hear them."

"Hmm," Maleny pretended to think, "I don't know. I've seen some, uh...flashy costumes and I don't think I'm quite cut out for those."

"If you wish for a reminder that you most certainly _are_ , by all means allow me to show you," Klaus sped her up against a wall, and was satisfied to hear her heart suddenly racing. "I have been known to be quite persuasive…" he pressed a kiss to her neck then raised his eyes to the blonde.

Maleny gulped, seriously wondering to what point would she able to resist him. She wanted to wipe that stupid smirk right off his face...and not in the way she wished she could. "Centuries ago that perhaps could have worked," she said surprisingly calmly. She pushed him off her and fixed her hair over her shoulders. "We're in the 21st century my dear, get some new tricks." She sent him a wink and walked away, silently congratulating herself for being able to pull that stunt off.

~ 0 ~

Hayley was ransacking through Rebekah's old room of the compound, desperately searching for a fitting dress she could wear to the Strix's party. She was beginning to regret forcing Elijah, whom had been the original invitee, to take her with him. But after learning of the prophecy she had a mild curiosity of what the old vampires wanted now.

"Come on, Rebekah. You've gotta have something…" she mumbled as she pulled open another trunk.

Elijah made his appearance known with a polite clear of throat. "Having trouble?" he asked, making Hayley glance back and see he was already changed in a black tuxedo with a bow tie freshly done.

"An understatement," Hayley sighed and returned to the trunk. "I thought Rebekah could have something, seeing as I don't usually carry gowns with me."

"Rebekah has many, I'm sure you can find something," Elijah came further inside and had a look for himself. Eventually, he pulled out a nice, beaded silver, floor length gown.

Hayley gaped at the sight of the dress. "I would be really pissed off I just wasted an hour looking if that thing wasn't so damn good."

Elijah chuckled and gave her the gown for her to change to. Hayley graciously took it and headed for the connecting bathroom.

"I take it your husband is fine with tonight's little adventure?" he asked while he waited.

"Yeah, well," Hayley sighed, "More or less, but he knows you guys are family and…" although Jackson wasn't pleased she was spending so much time in the Mikaelsons matters. A couple minutes later she came back with the gown on. "Okay, so I'm dressed for the part," she smoothed out some ruffles, "but what exactly am I walking into tonight?"

Elijah grimly answered, "Only the most dangerous and influential congregation of vampires the world has ever known."

~ 0 ~

Following on another visit to Alexis, the seer, Lucien took Klaus back to the apartment but came to the terrible conclusion she was gone.

"Perhaps you should place your special lady friend on a shorter leash?" Klaus mused, not entirely convinced of the problem.

'You don't understand- Alexis doesn't go outside unless she has to," Lucien tried to explain, but he was overly worried. "She's too sensitive. If she's gone, then someone took her."

He went past Klaus and dialed a number on his phone, immediately setting out to find Alexis through vampires. Klaus watched the entire exchange in silence, studying the moves of the old vampire. For all he knew, it could be a cheap trick Lucien was trying to play. Although, raw anger like that couldn't exactly be faked.

"I don't want your excuses, I simply want her found!" Lucien yelled into the phone. "Do you understand?" he hung up and turned back to Klaus, still frantic.

"All the king's horses and all the king's men can't find one prognosticating witch," Klaus said, smirking which only annoyed Lucien more. "Ah, well. Takes one to find one, I always say...or two, actually," he added on as he took out his phone and called for Freya.

In a couple of seconds, the witch answered, but along with her came the loud music in the background. "What is it now, Niklaus?"

"Really, Freya?" Klaus feigned offense, "Is that the way you greet the brother you've spent your entire life trying to find?"

"Oh, I'm sorry- are you not calling for a favor?"

Being on speaker phone, Lucien lost patience and snatched the phone from Klaus to add, "You're absolutely right, love. We need your help. A dear, dear friend of mine has gone missing, and we must find her. Our lives depend on it."

"And, I take it I was the only one willing to answer your call?"

"Well, you're certainly the loveliest."

"Niklaus, please tell your creepy friend that just because he's good-looking doesn't mean I won't turn him inside out and hang what remains from a pole."

Klaus rolled his eyes and took back his phone, "Freya, please. I am asking as your brother for your help."

"Fine. Text me the address," sighed Freya.

"Thank you," and Klaus was going to answer but the blaring music along with several other voices attracted his attention. "Where exactly _are_ you?"

"Hmm?" Freya feigned innocence, "Oh, Maleny and I wanted to discover more of Halloween so we...went out."

At that moment Klaus tried his hardest not to shout. "And...where exactly... _is_...Maleny?"

"Oh, she made a lovely friend who suggested she get into a costume…"

" _Freya_ ," Klaus gritted his teeth, unsure if she was just testing his jealousy or being completely honest. Neither idea pleased him.

Freya laughed and hung up. Behind him, Lucien smirked. "Trouble in paradise?"

Klaus turned around, more angry with Lucien. "Because of _you_. That big mouth of yours cost me more than I foresaw."

Lucien laughed, "I must say, I have taken a good liking to Maleny. She's so…" he motioned with a hand, and although it was innocent Klaus was already shooting him a threatening look, "... _familiar,_ " he ended with, but still half in thought. "Better take care of that one before someone swoops in and steals her."

"Is that a threat?" Klaus scowled, already taking the menacing step towards Lucien.

"Merely a suggestion," Lucien clarified, struggling to hide the laugh behind pursed lips.

~ 0 ~

As soon as she stepped into the Strix's grand ballroom, full of 1920s entertainment flappers, elegant guests with masquerade masks, and sophisticated music, Cami felt she should just turn and speed away. She didn't exactly fit there, and frankly it all reminded her of the grand sophisticated and classy man she was struggling to forget. But just as she turned back for the doors, Aya's distinctive voice called her name.

"Cami," the woman, dressed in a silver gown, walked up to the blonde with a graceful smile, "Welcome." Cami didn't know what to say then and opted for a half-smile. "I admire your confidence. I'm also pleased to see you liked the jumpsuit."

Cami coughed nervously. "Th-thank you, you have good taste. But, um, why does everyone get to wear the pretty gowns and I'm stuck with the jumpsuit? I mean, it's beautiful, but..."

"We wanted you specifically to be different and stand out," Aya said calmly.

"Mission accomplished," Cami sighed.

"Please, allow me to make some introductions." Aya gestured for Cami to walk beside her as she led them further inside the room.

As they passed by, Cami caught site of two vampires feeding off a woman wearing a black mask. Although, she did seem a bit familiar. "Is that…?"

Aya smiled and nodded her head. "One of our more famous faces. We count amongst our society celebrated actors, artists, politicians... Of course, most of us prefer to live a life outside of the public eye. That doesn't make our talents any less impressive."

Once again having no real response, Cami went with another polite, her awfully nervous smile. As they walked further inside, they missed Hayley and Elijah coming into the place.

Hayley immediately noticed the guests making glances their way, whispering amongst each other. "Why are they all staring at you?" she finally asked Elijah.

"I'm kind of a big deal around here," Elijah said quietly back.

It didn't take long for Hayley to realize the crucial detail Elijah failed to tell her. "They're all part of your sireline."

"Most of them, tragically, yes," Elijah sighed. "You see, Hayley, I wanted to assemble minds curious about the world and eager to improve it, along with the time and circumstance to do so. My desire was to create an elite brotherhood devoted to a new, better civilization. It was naive. Eventually, I was forced to abandon them once I realized I'd cultivated a legion of ego-maniacal sociopaths."

And now, he was sure he was about to see the dire consequences of his sires.

On the other side of the room, Aya was leading Cami through the place. "It's quite like your city's own beloved masquerade," Aya was saying. "Beneath the disguise, the poor become rich, and the rich? Well, they can do anything they please. We're the top of the food chain- the smartest, the strongest. And, we take what we want."

Cami shakily released a breath. "And, uh, now you want _me_?" she believed even the idea of the question sounded wrong, which only made Aya laugh.

"Tristan has been a collector of extraordinary talent for the better part of a millennium. He chooses the best of the best and helps them evolve."

"But…" Cami abruptly stopped walking, sighing deeply as she failed to understand the real reason she was there. "...the only reason you saw me was because of a city that already had a leader - Marcel Gerard. _He's_ the real reason the city is intact. He raised it from the ashes and I merely continued because he _allowed_ me to take the reigns. I'm sorry, but I think you invited the wrong vampire."

It didn't look like Aya was surprised to hear all that. It almost looked like she was waiting for it to appear. "It is true Marcel began this city, but a real leader sticks by those he created - which is more than what I can say for others who think so highly of themselves. And perhaps you're right, Marcel should be here as another guest. But I firmly believe you are meant to be here too. You're clever, bold, and possess the one characteristic that none of us seem to have anymore."

"And what is that?" Cami crossed her arms, unable to look less curious than what she was.

"You're a people person, Cami. You have what everyone here lacks - the patience to deal with humans. You have unnaturally kept your humanity so intact despite the hardships you've endured. We are impressed." Aya flashed the blonde a smile. "Should you join us, you would make a unique member due your connections with _all_ sirelines. You could very well lead the Strix to a peace treaty with the other sirelines and finally put this war to bed. That is, if you decide to see your own potential."

Cami watched the woman walk away, greatly confused. She had never thought of herself as anything more than a vampire accidentally created. Could she actually turn out to be all that Aya had said?

~ 0 ~

Maleny and Freya had just arrived at Lucien's apartment, after being called upon so abruptly. Neither was pleased to be drawn away from the lively setting Halloween had brought along. So far Maleny had discovered numerous candy flavors as well as some flashy costumes. Freya had declared the holiday was not meant for her, especially since the day was made to make fun of supernaturals like them. Of course, as the two entered Lucien's apartment, Freya suddenly wished she was back outside.

"Ugh, this place smells like dried blood and bad cologne," Freya remarked to Maleny, who came in slowly behind.

"That's just my natural musk," Lucien sent a smirk their way. "I find the ladies love it."

"Ladies as in…?" Maleny looked around the pretty empty place.

Lucien chuckled, "Now, now, Nik has told me of your...difficulties, and I would appreciate if you didn't take out your frustration on innocent ole me."

Maleny tilted her head and glanced at Klaus. "Oh, so he's heard more of you than I probably have for an entire week. Feel special, Lucien, because I sure haven't anymore. Closest I've gotten was today when some guy said my accent was adorable. Are accents like...a thing in this day?"

"Plenty," Freya replied, not very interested in being part of a couple's issues. She was studying the apparent tools for her to use in order to find the missing seer. She turned to face the others, warmly smiling to Maleny. "If you're quite finished here...I could use your help here."

It appeared Maleny was surprised she was wanted for a simple spell. "Me? But you can definitely do that on your own."

"How else do you expect to gain natural skills if you don't use your powers?" Freya gestured for her once more to join her at the table.

Maleny was still unsure of the request but was temporarily distracted by Lucien's chuckle. He seemed amused by the new piece of information he'd learned. "So you're not just any little human out there?" He turned to face her again. "You're a witch."

"You didn't know that?" Maleny asked curiously before glancing at Klaus with a 'This is what I mean' look. "Why am I not surprised?"

To avoid further tension and problems, Klaus called to Freya, "Can we get on with the spell?"

Freya nodded and reached for Maleny, still intending on being helped. She had already lighted up several candles for the locator spell, and now with Maleny's help they poured black sand into a bottle. Joining two hands, they let sprinkles of the sand fall over the map while chanting the spell. Both Klaus and Lucien intently watched behind the two blondes as the sand swirled in concentric circles over the map, slowly coming to a stop over one spot.

"Ah, the Davilla Estate," Lucien had recognized the place. "Brilliant. Isn't that where-"

"Our old friend Tristan lured Elijah just the other night," Klaus said, apparently now more worried. "It seems your fears are warranted."

"What exactly is that place?" Maleny wondered, moving away from them two.

"Well," Klaus began, expecting just one more scold from her after he finished, "it appears Elijah had found the Strix making moves towards Cami, so he made an appearance."

"Ooh, and did you plan on ever telling me?" came the expected response.

"What good would it have done?" he challenged, not going down without a fight. "Camille was fine, albeit probably irritated for being scolded as well, but she was fine. And besides, you haven't exactly been in a talking mood with me."

"You are not blaming this on me," she wagged a warning finger at him.

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Can we leave this for another time? I'd like to retrieve my seer from the grubby hands of the Strix."

Maleny sighed and turned away from Klaus. "What exactly is the Strix? Who are they?"

"Apparently, an elite group of vampires whom are all part of Elijah's sireline," Freya answered, now leaning against the table they had used for their spell.

"Is that why they went after Cami, then?" Maleny was quick to ask again, becoming worried that would be a growing issue for her cousin.

"They probably want her to join," Lucien rolled his eyes at such an irrelevant turn the conversation had done yet again. "But please, we're talking about Alexis. Can we actually come up with a decent plan to save her?" but before anyone could answer, he responded himself, "Granted," he threw a smirk to Klaus, "we are the two most cunning, powerful, and handsome vampires of all time..."

"Granted," Klaus shared a wide grin.

Freya rolled her eyes at the two, while Maleny rubbed her face and mumbled an 'oh brother' under her breath.

"But that still leaves us a bit outnumbered," Lucien finally finished. "How do you propose we fight our way into an entire secret society of ancient vampires?"

Klaus thought long and hard, but in the end he found such a simple way he almost laughed. Maleny had been quizzically staring at him, wondering how destructive things would get.

"Oh, luckily, I have just the plan," he finally announced. Before anyone could ask him what it entailed, he sped towards Maleny, and stood behind her with one arm around her waist. "And good news for you my dear, you'll finally have your taste of a Halloween costume and party at the same time."

Maleny blushed crimson red after a smirk-filled kiss was placed near the corner of her mouth. She dreaded to think what this next attempt of his would do.

~ 0 ~

Together once more, Aya was leading Cami through the guests, until coming up to man dressed in a black suit overlooking the party.

"Cami, I'd like you to meet my mentor, Mohinder," Aya, apparently pleased, gestured to the man. "He taught me everything I know about combat."

Politely, Cami held a hand to Mohinder, "I'm already impressed," she said, thinking back to Aya's peculiar fighting skills. However, the man merely gave her a silent look. Awkwardly, Cami took back her hand and coughed. Aya took her by her wrist and led him away. "He's kinda intense," Cami quietly remarked as they walked off.

Aya chuckled. "As part of his discipline, he drinks only the blood of vampires he's vanquished in combat. He can go weeks without feeding, yet suffer no effects of hunger, such is his control over body and mind."

Cami nodded. "Right...or delirious." She thought back to the only other vampire who fed off other vampires and made a distasteful face.

In the drinking area, Hayley and Elijah were still conspicuously waiting around for the man of the hour.

"So, where is this Tristan guy?" Hayley finally asked, tired of waiting already. "I want to meet him for myself."

Elijah would've replied had it not been for the golden beauty he had caught sight of across the room. Even though she wore a matching golden mask over her eyes, Elijah recognized her right off the bat.

Hayley had taken notice of his concerned face and asked, "Elijah, what's wrong?" before following his eyes towards Aya and Cami.

Cami too had seen them and instantly became nervous. "What are they doing here?" she whispered, but Aya never answered her.

"Elijah, what's she doing here?" Hayley had also been left shocked of Cami's presence, but Elijah's was changing rapidly into concern.

"I should have known," Elijah whispered, feeling his heart begin to hammer. "This isn't a party. It's an initiation."

Hayley's eyes widened and quickly looked back at Cami. However, neither was able to move due to a fresh row of caterers with champagne flutes walk into the room. They tapped their glasses with knives to draw the guests attention to Tristan walked in.

"Distinguished friends, welcome," he addressed the entirety. "It's so rare that we're able to come together like this to revel for one night in the company of true equals. Now, I'd like to take a moment to welcome a very special guest- Camille O'Connell."

Cami was not expecting attention to be placed on her so forwardly, but nonetheless smiled and thanked the applause. "Thank you. I'm honored. Thank you."

Tristan smiled as well and continued. "Of course, before we tell Camille all of our secrets, there's one small piece of business to which we must first attend. We must determine her worth."

Cami arched an eyebrow at the man. "Strange, considering you're the ones that came to _me_."

Tristan took her confusion with mild amusement and went on. "You'll notice, Miss O'Connell, that over the course of the evening, someone has managed to take something quite dear to you…"

Cami rapidly searched herself and found that something truly had been taken from her.

"Your daylight ring."

Horrified, she looked up to Tristan.

"What the hell is going on?" Hayley whispered to Elijah. But he was too engrossed with the situation, maybe equally terrified or more than Cami was. He knew exactly what was going to happen, and suddenly all he could think about was to take Cami away from the place.

Tristan has turned to completely face Cami, still giving instructions. "The test is quite simple. First, you need to deduce the identity of the thief. Then, you are simply to take back what is yours... Although, I doubt the prize will be easily relinquished. After all, despite our refinement, we're still a rather violent bunch." Cami gulped nervously, her eyes flickering from one of the dozens of staring guests to another. "In victory, you become one of us. In failure, you meet your death. You have a few hours until dawn. I wish you the best of luck."

As the guests began returning to their conversations, Cami remained petrified and thus could barely turn away herself. Rubbing her neck nervously, she slowly started disappearing through the guests.

From the other side, Elijah was ready to follow through with his idea to get her out of there when Hayley spoke up.

"These vampires are ancient, and they expect a practical baby vamp to beat one of them?" Hayley shook her head, almost angry herself for such a foul trick. "How is she supposed to do that?"

Just then, Tristan appeared behind her, easily answering her. "With guile, courage, perhaps a bit of trickery... Admittedly, it's a long-shot, but then, sometimes the new candidates surprise us." Hayley rolled her eyes and turned to see the guy face to face. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tristan de Martel, and you must be the famous Hayley Marshall-Kenner, Alpha to the Crescent wolves." He reached for Hayley's hand and kissed it, but heavily angry she jerked it back. "The pleasure's all mine, I see," he said, unfazed by her rude action, and turned for Elijah. "Elijah! When I sent your invitation, I didn't dare think you'd come. Tell me- as our founder and patriarch, what do you make of our latest candidate?"

Elijah stared hard at the man, thinking what would be the easiest way to kill him. But being at a party full of old vampires wouldn't bode well for Hayley and Cami. "She is bold, she is kind, strong, and she does not belong to this group full of arrogant and stubborn vampires. Your hatred and quarrel is with me and my family, do not bring someone as bright and innocent as she is."

A smile at the corner of Tristan's lips formed, easily able to identify the affections for the blonde recruit. They knew it would definitely come in handy for later. "We have not forced Camille into anything. She came to this party out of her own accord."

"I bet she wasn't expecting this to happen," Hayley bitterly said, crossing her arms and glaring at him. "She isn't even a full year old as a vampire and you're pinning her against an ancient vampire? That doesn't sound like a test, that sounds like a suicide mission."

"I understand she studied to become a psychologist, therefore she must know a couple tricks. One needent be physically fit to beat a strong opponent. They must simply be clever." Tristan flashed her a full smile and held a hand to her. "If you allow me one dance I would be more than happy to explain our methods."

Hayley considered the idea briefly, but thought more on the helpless baby-vamp that needed to be helped on. "Elijah, go find Cami," she said suddenly, startling Elijah as he had already been searching for her again. "Smack some sense into her if needed. But find her." With that, she accepted Tristan's hand and was led towards the dance floor.

Elijah didn't think twice before rushing to go find Cami.

As the two began to dance, Tristan continued to address in that utterly fake politeness Hayley hated. "I'm glad you came, Hayley. Like it or not, when one refers to the Mikaelsons, they're referring to you, as well. Tonight will allow you to make up your own mind about our organization."

Hayley still held a very deep glare at him. "And you think by killing my friend, you're gonna make the best impression?"

"I think tonight, you'll bear witness to the truth. At the very least, you cannot call us liars."

~ 0 ~

When Elijah found Cami, she was pacing just outside the ballroom, frantically. "Cami," he rushed up to her.

Cami sighed, expecting something far differently from him. "Look, I didn't tell you I was coming tonight because-"

"I wouldn't have allowed it," Elijah nodded, easily agreeing with her assumption.

"Yeah," Cami bitterly laughed, "because apparently it looks like you think that way of me. I may not be as classy as you are, but I'm a grown woman and no one tells me what to do."

"The Strix are a dangerous group-"

"Who, as far as I can tell, are giving me the opportunity to prove I am capable of many things that you clearly never did."

Elijah blinked after that statement, once again feeling his heart begin to hammer within his chest. "You're...are you actually considering doing this?" he gestured back to the ballroom.

"Considering?" Cami laughed, crossing her arms. "I'm thinking of a way to _win_. I'm going to get back my daylight ring."

"Camille, you have to leave," Elijah gently turned her for the doors, and while the blonde was busy processing again, he walked them towards it. "It's still dark out, so you can get yourself back home where we will get you a new ring."

"I'm not going anywhere!" Cami pushed his hand off her arm, annoyed he believed she would give up so easily. "They want a fight, I'll give them a fight."

"That fight you say, is a death sentence-" Elijah tried making her see but she scoffed loudly.

"Nice to see the trust you have in me. But I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

"Please, Camille, I am _begging_ you," Elijah stepped closer to her, reaching to touch her face, his voice suddenly softer, "please...leave this place. Don't let them lure you into this death trap. I cannot watch you hand yourself over to your own death."

Cami's breath shook with his fingers caressing her cheek. But she would not allow him to keep thinking that of her. How she was some weak vampire, a weak woman, who had no chance of survival without him. Mustering her courage, she pushed his hand from her face. "If you knew me, and you trusted me, you would know I would have a plan of victory." She pushed past him and strode back into the ballroom with far more confidence than she had minutes ago.

~ 0 ~

Hayley was still forcing herself to dance with Tristan, seeing Cami going back inside the room told her Elijah was not able to convince her to leave. Meanwhile, Tristan was still making efforts for a conversation.

"There are few novelties left in the world, especially to us. A creature such as you is certainly among them."

Hayley's eyes shifted back to the man in front of her, narrowing them suspiciously. "Yeah? And what kind of a creature might that be?"

"A hybrid, of course. The only one among us whose life doesn't depend on the survival of the Original family. You, Hayley Marshall-Kenner, are one of a kind. And, a true beauty, at that."

Hayley nearly gagged at the comment, and even more so when Tristan spun her around and pulled her unbearably close to him. Thankfully, there came a loud commotion from the entrance of the ballroom. It was Klaus and Lucien, drunkenly making an entrance with a group of Halloween-costumed women. With their loud laughter, they forced everyone in the room to stop and stare at them.

"What a beloved occasion!" went Klaus.

Lucien took a quick scan of the room. "My God, it's a room full of Elijahs!"

Klaus slung his arm over the shoulders of the women near him, leaning on them for support. "I had that exact same nightmare once!"

The entire group laughed with him. Lucien glanced to his right where he held a woman by the waist. She wore a dark purple corset, a color matching bobbed wig and black mask. "Go and grab us a drink, love! Feel free to fetch one for yourself."

"Go and help her dear," Klaus told a second woman, dressed in a bright pink corset, with white off-the shoulder short sleeves and a ribbon design going down the bodice. "And maybe bring back a couple for her...and her…" his words began slurring but somehow he still thought it funny, "...and her...oh, and her…"

If the woman wasn't wearing a pink mask, they would have seen her roll her blue eyes as she went after the first. She brushed her short, pink, puffy tulle skirt and hurriedly snuck towards a nearby staircase. Freya pulled off her mask and turned to the second, Maleny, just as she also chucked her mask to the side. The two nodded and hurried up the stairs, but Freya took lead.

"Tristan?" Klaus began to shout for. "Tristan! Come out, come out, wherever you are! Unless, of course, you're afraid!"

Freya passed first a woman with red hair in a teal dress and turquoise and gold mask but took no notice of her, as did the redhead. Maleny, however, bumped into her and hit the wall. Before she could react, she felt the familiar jab of pain on the side of her head. She put her hands on her head, hoping to ease the pain at least a little. But before she knew it, her mind was overtaken by different voices.

 _...I am only afraid that with this new change...you no longer feel the same about me…_

 _...It **has** changed…_

 _...Oh? W-well, then...I think…_

 _...My affection for you has only increased - magnetized. I love you…._

 _...I love you too..._

By the time Maleny came through again, the redheaded woman was long gone, and so was Freya. She leaned off the wall and breathed in and out, trying to decipher what it was she saw. But once again she only had the voices, not the actual picture. She couldn't understand what was going on, but it made her stomach churn for a reason. And that was rare. All her other memories came just as painful, but with a clear picture of her and Klaus. Why was this one more different?

Well, she wasn't going to sit there and wait to be caught. She could hear what Klaus was busy saying downstairs, and knew that in no time he and Lucien would be kicked out. She rushed down the hall, trying to find Freya, until she came to a room with an open door.

"Freya?" she came in and inspected the elegant looking room, only to feel like the air was beginning to escape from her lungs.

It appeared the name had set an alarm in Alexis' voice, for she quickly stopped whatever spell she had placed on Freya that made her choke.

"You're a Mikaelson," she looked towards Freya with wide eyes. She, unfortunately, left the spell cast over Maleny. She lunged towards Freya and kissed her. Almost instantaneously, Freya's mind was filled with the new visions Alexis saw.

The first few images were the earlier actions Freya had done for Klaus - from the spell to see the first visions at the compound all the way to the last locator spell she had cast with Maleny. She now someone shoveling dirt over a large wooden box that was placed in a hole on the ground. The scene switched to the inside of the box, where Freya herself was in, being buried alive.

Alexis pulled away and left a slightly weakened Freya lean against the back of the couch. She smugly stared at the blonde, ignoring the choking one behind. " The family blood you sought to find shall be what lays you low in kind."Poor girl. You searched a thousand years for family, and, in finding them, they will be your undoing."

Freya had her back to the woman, so hid her smirk as she wiped the lipstick smudges from her mouth. "Either you're right, or you're wrong. Although, you do make one good point- I _am_ a Mikaelson." And suddenly, Freya whirled around and punched Alexis so hard the witch went down in an instant.

As soon as she did, Maleny was released and she dropped to the floor as well. As she coughed violently, Freya ran to her and helped her sit up.

"Dare I...ask...what...you saw?" Maleny heavily breathed in.

Freya didn't answer, but her eyes said it all.

~ 0 ~

Much later, the time for Cami had come up. And when Aya found her with Hayley, she politely motioned to be followed. "If you'd please come with us, Cami…"

Cami nodded, taking a big breath as she followed Aya towards up the stairs. The rest of the guests followed them into a smaller room, where Tristan and other fellow members of the Strix were waiting.

"Miss O'Connell! It's time," Tristan smiled at her.

"My understanding was I had another hour to go," Cami said, trying to go for the calm aura but she knew it was failing.

"And I'm afraid that an inability to improvise is the most common of failings. Either you have an answer, or you don't."

"Fine," Cami huffed and took a minute to look around the room. "Aya took my ring…" she began, thinking back to when Aya had led her from Mohinder by the wrist, casually brushing hands.

Aya had to chuckle at the accusation. "I'm sorry, but I don't have your ri-"

Cami smirked. "I merely said you _took_ it. Nowhere in that sentence did I say you still _had_ it." Aya's smile faded from her face as Cami went on. "See, after you lifted it off me, you gave it to Mohinder over there."

Silently, Mohinder raised the ring to confirm her answer. Tristan looked between the two with impression. "Well done! Of course, as you know, that was only half the challenge."

And although Cami's heart was beating rapidly, she managed to scoff and sound unsurprised. "I put that piece in when I realized the answer," she patted her hands on her jumpsuit's pants. "If I was a real princess I would be highly upset by this."

"And you're not?" Tristan arched an eyebrow at her, becoming amused by her demeanor.

"Do I look like it?" she pointed to her face, sarcastically smiling widely.

Tristan walked past her as the guests simultaneously made space for the looming face. Mohinder stepped into the clearing, standing across Cami.

"There's no shame in dying at the hands of one's superior," he cockishly told her.

"No real glory in it either," she remarked back. "And if I didn't die by some crazed witches, I'm sure as hell not dying by someone named 'Mohinder'."

The statement angered the man, and stripping off his jacket he lunged for the blonde. Cami sped to the side. She then returned and kicked the man's back, sending him to the floor. Unfortunately, Mohinder recuperated fast and grabbed her ankle to throw her across the room. She landed over a table, smashing it to pieces then hit the ground last.

As the exchange went on, Elijah and Hayley watched with mortified looks, though Elijah's outweighed Hayley by many.

"Shouldn't we do something?" Hayley whispered to him, shocked he was allowing this to continue.

"If I do we void her recruitment," Elijah breathed in. "She would never forgive me then."

When Mohinder grabbed Cami in a choke-hold, Elijah seriously reconsidered the idea. Cami gasped for air, and attempted to throw punches but it didn't quite work and the man kicked her in the stomach. With the force, she was sent crashing into a wall, actually breaking it and falling through to the next room.

"Woah…" she blinked, severely dazed. She looked up as Mohinder went through the hole and grabbed her arm, picking her up from the floor, and shoved her into a large shelf of dishes.

On an off chance, Cami snatched a martini shaker and smashed it over Mohinder's face several times. Mohinder found yet again to grab her in a choke-hold and pinned her against the broken shelf. Cami's eyes drifted to the side and saw something kind of useful. She grabbed the ice scoop and smashed it over the man's head again. Afterwards, she snatched a frying pan and used it across Mohinder's face.

It didn't last long as Mohinder grabbed her by the wrists and snapped her arms. She screamed in pain and was smashed against the shelf, completely breaking it. She only had a minute before she felt herself being raised up again. Mohinder had now acquired a makeshift stake from the broken shelf, ready to use it on her.

"I...don't...think so…" she mustered and with her remaining energy, grabbed his arm and pulled on it so hard it snapped from its socket.

She dropped to the floor and rapidly tried for the stake. Mohinder caught her and kicked her away to the original room, going through the wall yet again. Mohinder followed in, with his arm back in place. Cami pulled herself up to her feet, weak from the pointless fight she knew she could not win physically. She gave it a last shot - for show - and sped up to the man, punching him across the face multiple times. When the man could muster up full conscious, he pushed Cami across the room, making her crash into another table.

Cami no longer got up, instead let Mohinder pull her up in her weakened state. He vamped-out and sunk his fangs into her neck, taking a good drink from her.

Elijah could no longer see this go on, and out of terror, moved forwards to pull her away from the man. Hayley grabbed his arm to stop him, subtly shaking her head. She motioned with a finger to keep watching.

When Mohinder had finished, he pinned the far weakened Cami against a wall with the stake in hand. "You fought with honor. Embrace the nobility of this end."

Cami bitterly chuckled. "I fought to put on a show - you were dead from the moment you started this." Mohinder gave her a look, as did Tristan and Aya across the room. Cami continued giggling. "Men are all the same, whether human, vampire, witch or wolf - you're all impulsive little things who need to show their victory. Yours is to feed on the blood of your opponents, so I used that against you."

Mohinder let her go as he felt a strange feeling in his stomach. He groaned and wobbled on his feet, and Cami could only watch in triumph.

"Starting to feel it, aren't you?" she crossed her arms, her smirk growing wider. "It's like...it's like a burning sensation that spreads from the stomach, right? And you kinda feel it going through your throat? It's wolf's venom," she raised her arm to show the wolf's bite growing deeper from her wrist down. "

Stunned, Elijah turned to Hayley who was also smiling in victory. How could he have missed that one!?

"Someone said I was on a suicide mission, he didn't know me so well to know that I was smarter than the average vampire." Cami rolled her eyes, hoping that one stung Elijah. She grabbed Mohinder and turned him so that he was against the wall, and now holding the stake herself, she threatened him with it. "I knew to be observant. And all the little clues Aya gave me were about _you_. Hell, even the way she fought in the bar was all you. I don't know why they want you dead, but clearly they do. However, I'm not a stone killer. I won the fight," she dropped the stake and turned to Tristan and Aya, " _You_ can take care of the rest."

She stumbled across the room, hoping to find somewhere to lean for with all her injuries and the hybrid bite, she felt like she would soon meet her death too. It was Hayley who came to help her, keeping her standing up.

Tristan made his way to Mohinder, who was more than shocked to figure the plan out, and was coughing blood from the lethal bite. He didn't have time to say a word when Tristan yanked his heart from his chest and killed him. Tristan let the heart splat on the floor as he turned to Cami.

"You chose well! Now, I assure you, he did deserve it. He's been plotting unspeakable crimes against his sworn brothers and sisters. Of course, you couldn't have known." He took a couple steps towards her. "As I told Hayley, you needn't to beat a stronger opponent with physical strength - brains is what you need. And you have proved me right. Plus, you openly saying you wouldn't kill him shows your humanistic side." He returned to Mohinder's corpse to remove the daylight ring, and handed it over to Cami. "Welcome to The Strix." Cami silently took her ring, too tired to make any form of glare or response. This too Tristan noticed and added, "Provided, of course, you survive your own gambit."

~ 0 ~

In the compound, the weakened Cami had been brought back by Hayley and Elijah and to her annoyance, Klaus was delaying giving her his blood. While she leaned against the desk, he sat on the couch across her sipping some wine, unperturbed.

"I bet they were all impressed, weren't they?" he flashed her a smirk. "The baby-vamp defeating a big old Strix vampire?" he had himself a good laugh and drank more from his wine.

"Yes, yes, it was a novelty for them," Cami rolled her eyes.

"And how did Elijah take all this?"

"I didn't bother to ask, and I don't care."

"Tell me the truth, Cami," Klaus leaned forwards on the couch, "Are you doing all this simply to spite my brother?" Cami gave him a hard look, looking indignant of the accusation, but it just made him laugh. "Let me guess, he made some sort of declaration this battle would be your death and that you should leave and blah, blah, blah? It is fairly familiar, I tell you," Klaus got up from his spot and walked for her. "Maleny tried doing the same long ago - argument blew up, and just to spite me she went along and tried to climb this ridiculously tall tree…"

Cami watched him grow distant, suddenly amused at his memory she frankly hadn't quite paid attention to. "While I'd love to hear about Maleny's epic adventures, I _am_ going to die soon…"

Klaus pulled himself from his thoughts and with a sigh, reached for an empty glass on the table in which he drew blood from his wrist. "Listen, Camille, at the moment, we cannot tell friend from foe, and what are you doing? You're pledging a fraternity run by those conspiring against us!"

Cami took the glass from him, quietly, and seriously, replying, "If I stood by you and Maleny against Dahlia when my life didn't depend on it, rest assured I will do so now when my life does depend on it. Yes, I did this partially to show Elijah I'm stronger than what he takes me for. But I generally did this for the information I can get for you all. This is what happens when you don't communicate like you're supposed to. Had Elijah shown some faith in me, I would have shared my idea."

"His faith in you was not lost," Klaus said, sounding confused.

"That's what he showed me by leaving me in the dark of things," Cami replied and drank down his blood.

The words rang an alarm in Klaus' mind, somehow quickly making a connection with his current dilemma with Maleny. A tired Freya, who still wore her costume minus the wig and mask, entered the room.

"She's awake," she announced, referring to Alexis whom had been dragged to the compound between her and Maleny.

As Klaus turned to leave with Freya, Cami called, "Where's Mal? I want to talk with her…" because she had _so_ many things to discuss of today's events.

Unfortunately, Klaus looked back and answered, "She's already asleep. Come by morning if you'd like."

Cami sighed, but agreed.

~ 0 ~

Maleny woke up with a light gasp, able to see a brief image in her mind of the back of a dark-haired woman. As the scene faded, Maleny was only able to identify a castle window where she apparently stood over its sill.

 _...Please, don't make!..._

 _….This is your fault..._

 _...I'm begging you..._

Maleny felt an awful terror spring out of nowhere, and she suddenly wished not to be alone. She placed a hand over her stomach, and made to get off the bed when she saw the bowl of berries on her nightstand. She knew she wasn't alone, and with just a call Klaus would be there. Pushing off the blanket, she reached for a couple berries and dropped them into her mouth. As she chewed, she hoped she would completely relax and once again forget her troubles. But two minutes in, she heard a shrill scream inside her head, presumably that of the dark-haired woman.

"No!" she jumped off her bed and rushed towards her dresser, panting as she stared at herself long and hard. Her blue eyes were shiny from the fear, her hair pressed down yet slightly knotted from the wig she had to wear earlier. But, once more, her mind played tricks and for a brief second her entire appearance changed to a woman with a long side ponytail of black hair, matching her dark eyes. She gasped, jumping back.

"Klaus!" she called in terror. She looked in the mirror again, patting her cheeks as if to see if she was the blonde in the reflection.

In less than a minute, Klaus had sped into the room to see what had been wrong. "Maleny!?"

The sound of his voice drew her away from the mirror, and seeing him assured her everything was fine - everything was the way it had always been. Feeling embarrassed for her outburst, she turned back to the mirror, looking down.

"You sounded scared…" Klaus deduced after a minute of checking the room for any visible confrontation evidence.

"N-no, no I wasn't," Maleny weakly said back, her eyes raising only slightly. But she still kept her back to him.

"Yes you were," Klaus assured, slightly smirking as he walked towards her. "I know your calls, and the way you say my name. If you're scared I know."

Maleny shakily exhaled, still shaking her head in refusal. "I was confused...I was having a bad dream. But I wasn't scared."

Klaus rolled his eyes, seeing it would be pointless to argue over that. "Okay, fine, then why did you call for me?"

"Because…" Maleny quickly ransacked her mind for an excuse. "Because I wanted to know what happened with Lucien's witch."

"Hmm, well, she died," Klaus casually replied with, fairly resigned to it. The last prophecy of him dying wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear anyways. "And Lucien's distraught, other than that it's alright."

"Oh…" Maleny looked to the side, able to discreetly see him not very far behind her. She felt it awkward now, yet she yearned for him more with each second. After that horrible scream, and pleads, she didn't want to be alone. Apart from that, she just missed him.

"Did you put those berries there?" she asked, nodding to the bowl on the nightstand. It was a stupid question but it would keep him in the room longer.

"Of course," Klaus nodded, putting his hands behind his back as he walked up to her. "I was hoping it would allow me a morning chat with you when you woke up."

"Oh…" Maleny swallowed hard, slowly returning her gaze to the dresser in front of her. "What about, exactly?"

"I think it's fairly clear what I wanted to discuss. You've been ignoring me for days now…"

"And you have been forgetting I exist for days as well…"

"I have not!"

Maleny could not take it anymore and turned to face him. "Yes, you have!" she exclaimed. "Ever since Lucien appeared you've forgotten about me. With the prophecy, you only pushed me away to the point where I had to go and get answers from a guy I don't even know. It's like…" she felt so stupid being near tears, but she couldn't stop it. "It's like I don't exist anymore. You choose to go to Lucien, to Elijah, to some stranger seer. I know I can't do much, but I would like to know what is going on with this family."

"That...that sounds fair," Klaus sighed, her broken expression causing him to regret his earlier decisions.

"Then why didn't you tell me anything?" Maleny asked, unable to help pout. "Is it because I'm... _human_? Mortal?" she dropped her arms to her sides in frustration, yet full of fear that was the true reason. She turned away from him again. "I'm ridiculously soft? Fragile?"

Klaus stepped forwards, chuckling as he slid his arms around her waist. "You _are_ all those things," he began, and she scoffed.

"You are wonderful at comforting people…" she muttered.

"You didn't let me finish," Klaus playfully berated her. "I decided not to tell you things because I didn't want any harm to come to you. I literally just got you back for good now - I was not going to risk it for a problem that concerned me and my family."

"I thought I _was_ family," Maleny whispered, disappointed.

"You are," Klaus nodded, "You have been for centuries. You're human, mortal, soft, fragile," he had himself another chuckle. "You're gentle."

"Does this have a point I'm supposed to like?" Maleny shook her head, fiddling with her fingers. "Very soon, I would hope?"

"Being all this is my constant reminder that even a monster like me…" Klaus sighed, "...can be loved by someone as gentle as _you_."

Maleny blinked and turned her head once more, just as Klaus pressed a kiss on her shoulder. Her anger vanished as soon as her eyes met his guilt-filled ones. "Don't ever say that…" she scolded him in a whisper.

"Why not? It _is_ the truth," Klaus said, completely unperturbed. "I've always known it. Everyone knows it." He left a trail of butterfly kisses across her shoulder.

Maleny closed her eyes at the tingly sensation on her skin left by his lips. "I...didn't know that…" she replied distractedly. "I'm not exactly...a good person either…"

"Compared to me you're a white dove."

"Mmm," Maleny hummed, barely paying attention to his words anymore. She had tilted her head back so that he could kiss the middle of her neck without having to turn her around. Eventually, she grew tired of the tease and whirled around, her hair flipping with her. "I never got to say I bloody hate this stupid costume - _if_ it even qualifies one."

Klaus took a minute to look her up and down, and the result was a very pleased smirk. "I thought it was fitting." Maleny rolled her eyes, having expected nothing less than that. "A princess cursed to sleep for a hundred years…"

"Because I needed a reminder of curses," Maleny sarcastically replied, "I didn't see you so doing anything for a costume."

"It's already on, love," Klaus pointed to his face, pulling out his hybrid eyes for a minute.

Maleny laughed and pulled him down for another kiss. After a mere minute, she had already made him push his jacket off. She jumped onto him, wrapping her legs around him. Pulling away for just a moment, she curiously asked him, "That princess, how did she break her curse?"

Klaus pushed a strand of her hair off her face. "Her prince gave her a kiss."

Maleny raised her eyebrows up, making a mental note to get a proper view of the movie later on. She bit her lip and leaned forwards until their foreheads were pressed together. "It's a nice story - a kiss. Buuuut…" she began to smirk as her finger traced his lips, "...I want more than _one_ kiss."

"After all that ignoring you did to me, you really think I was going to let you go so easily?" Klaus had a small laugh and gave her a rough kiss afterwards. Before Maleny knew it, she had been dropped over her bed. Seconds later, Klaus crawled over her and continued to kiss her.

~ 0 ~

"Next!" went an airport employee at the final checkout of arriving flights. The dark-haired woman, with her round sunglasses, lowered her cellphone from her ear and wheeled her suitcase to the desk. "Passport, ma'am," the employee beckoned her to then remove her sunglasses as well.

The woman held the sunglasses with the same hand she was holding her phone in the meantime her passport was being checked off.

"Velden, Marlenie," the employee read off.

"Yes," nodded the woman, wearing a sweet smile across her lips.

"What's the reason for your visit to New Orleans?" the employee began with the routine questions.

"Family visit," she answered softly.

"And how many days do you plan to stay?"

"Indefinitely."

The way she answered the question set the employee off and so she leaned forwards and compelled him. "This was just a routine check up, nothing was out of the ordinary."

With her sweet smile, she put her sunglasses back on, stuffed her passport into her bag and turned to leave.

"Hello?" She resumed her call, and the first thing she heard was the laughter of her friend. "Something wrong, Evie?"

'Nothing, I just crack up every time you mess with a human like that,' her friend, Evie, responded. "But, being serious now, do you understand what you're getting yourself into? There's talks about a sireline-war going on...New Orleans might just be a warzone..."

"Excuse me, but Marlenie Mikaelson never cowards away from a fight," the woman herself declared with the biggest smirk. She had waited outside on the street for a cab to pull up. "This is where my father is, and I am not leaving until I find him. I swear on my mother's life, whom I almost sure is still running about without a memory of anything. Mum always said that as long as we were under the same stars we would always find each other again. Well, this is the year I will finally be reunited with my family."

~ 0 ~

* * *

 _"Cecilia?" Lucien quietly called upon entering the noble woman's bedroom chamber._

 _The woman came out of a smaller connected room of her clothes. She was in sleeping clothes, with a loose robe over it. An immediate smile spread across her face._

 _"Evening," she said back, gigglish as Lucien approached her._

 _"How is the most beautiful woman in the world doing?" Lucien wrapped his arms around her, one hand curling fingers around her black hair._

 _"How direct you are," Cecilia feigned surprise._

 _"Wait till you see what else I plan to do tonight," Lucien smirked before kissing her. She giggled as he sped her up against a wall._

 _She pulled away a minute, still in awe of his new abilities. "Be careful my love, I am not as strong as you are."_

 _He leaned forwards to her, brushing his lips over hers. In doing so, he heard her heartbeat far stronger...and her blood pumping through it. He pulled away, displaying his newly vampire face._

 _Cecilia lightly gasped. "Am I...am I making it difficult for you?"_

 _Lucien tried his best to control himself. Being a only weeks old of a vampire made things challenging, but he couldn't keep himself away from Cecilia. "No, no…" he moved his lips down her neck, but the scent of blood became stronger. "It's merely…" he swallowed hard, "...only a…"_

 _Cecilia was slightly nervous, for it wasn't the first time they had a complication when they were together. She turned her head slightly, gently kissing his cheek. "I love you," she whispered to him. "Take a drink…"_

 _Startled, Lucien met her eyes. She gave him a small nod, assuring him it was alright. He bared his fangs and sunk them into her neck. She shakily gasped at the new sensation she felt. Her hands gripped his shoulders while he took a longer drink. Eventually, he raised his head, and with blood dripping from his mouth, he captured her lips in a deep kiss._

* * *

Maleny gasped and jerked upright from her spot on the bed, pulling up the sheet to her bare chest. She panted as she took in all that she saw in the memory - because everything had been clear now. The same churn of her stomach happened then, and now she knew why. The tears filled in her eyes, while her mind puzzled what to make of it.

It was _wrong_. It was all wrong.

She turned her head to the side, seeing Klaus fast asleep beside her and she struggled hard to stifle the sob threatening to come out. She couldn't have ever not been in love with him. She couldn't picture it.

And she certainly couldn't picture herself being in love with Lucien Castle.

She could not have been Cecilia de Ark.

She simply couldn't have.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Be honest, did yall see that one coming or not? ._. *evil smile*

I could not help myself to add that little drama after seeing the season for myself lmao. I figured, why the hell not? xD. And what's this!? Marlenie Mikaelson is back in the picture? How do you think that's going to go? Oooooh I love this character so much, you'll definitely come to see the 'Klaus' in her personality. And I hope the Cami/Elijah storyline has gotten some of you, I love them so much - if I wasn't a die-hard Klamille fan I'm sure I would've ended up being a Camlijah shipper ;)

 ** _For the Review:_**

Thank you so much! Hope you liked the new chapter!

* * *

Next chapter is a angsty one, be ready for it ;)


	4. Shadows of the Past

Lucien was having himself a relaxing drink on his couch, preferring to move on from losses. It had been several weeks since he lost Alexis, and though it was a severe disadvantage not to have the future foretold, he wouldn't dwell on what he couldn't change. The knocks on his door interrupted that relaxing time and with a groan, he got up to go answer.

When he opened the door and found a woman with straight, long black hair and piercing blue eyes he didn't know what to make of it. Marlenie had on a wide smile, because she knew this would be it.

"You haven't changed much," she remarked curiously, taking in the man's appearance.

"Come again?" Lucien frowned.

"I suppose you wouldn't remember me," Marlenie continued without problem. "We met briefly and when we did you only did it to feed off me." Lucien furrowed his brow, confused and without much patience to learn what she was talking about. "And you didn't even bother to make sure I actually died. Well, I let bygones be bygones, but now I require your help."

"And why the hell would I consider helping a stranger?" Lucien scoffed, but Marlenie remained unfazed. She took his drink and walked right in, proving she was of his sireline which did slightly ease him if he had to admit.

"Because, as you can see, I am no enemy of yours in this sireline war." Marlenie turned around to face him, smirking as she took a sip of his wine. "I want to find my father and I have a very good notion that _you_ know where he is in this ridiculously packed city."

Lucien raised an eyebrow, closing the door behind him. "And how would I know?"

Marlenie's smirk widened. "Because, he's our very sire - Klaus Mikaelson."

~ 0 ~

Klaus and Elijah were returning to the compound and discussing all they had learned in the previous weeks. New things would surly arise and both needed to be on up to speed and on the same page for planned attacks.

"So, my first sired wants to kill you. Yours wants to kill me," Klaus rolled his eyes at such a lack of surprise. "Makes you regret turning vampires in the first place."

Elijah sighed. "Well, the division of labor seems crystal clear- two of them, two of…" but he trailed off when he and Klaus saw an unusual sight in the courtyard.

"Hello, nice to see you're back," Maleny sat on a chair, one leg crossed over the other, and waving one folded letter in her hand.

In between her and the brothers was a young woman with her wrists slashed laying over a bed of lavender sprigs.

"Maleny…?" Klaus took a step towards the dead woman, stunned.

"What, you don't think _I_ did this?" Maleny scoffed loudly. "I'd have to be dead, first of all. No," she dramatically sighed. "I found this sight after coming back from Amarrah's. Oh, but that's not the best part, you've got a letter my love. Shall I read it?" Before Klaus could say anything, she went ahead and read aloud the contents of the letter.

" _Roses are red, lavender is blue. Come find me before I find you._ "

Maleny lowered the letter and now grimly looked at the hybrid. "She's not much of a poet. Though I must admit her actions are...something completely different."

Klaus came towards her as she got up, chucking the letter behind. "She wants us to find her…" he said shakily, unsure how to take the new event.

"I kind of got the jist," Maleny answered bitterly and walked past him. "I think it goes without saying how uncomfortable this is."

Elijah cleared his throat to grab both's attention. "We are going to need to find her, I'm afraid."

"I never said you shouldn't," Maleny looked between both brothers, but kept a longer look on Klaus. "This is not about me, or us, or anyone else. This is about the bigger picture. So go."

Elijah exchanged a look with Klaus, both nodding in agreement. Elijah took his leave first and would wait nearby. Maleny kept staring at the woman grimly, her expressions unreadable. She wasn't going to start a fight, especially now that she knew she had absolutely no right getting upset over past lovers. She hadn't even mentioned the new life she remembered. And she doubted she ever could.

"Mal," Klaus walked to where she stood, visibly nervous. He turned her to face him, cupping her cheek.

"I guess I shouldn't be so surprised she's back," Maleny said, her eyes drifting to the side.

"I don't want you to be overwhelm yourself with this. Let me handle it," Klaus told her to stop her from overthinking things.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Maleny muttered, her eyes gaze shifting to the side. Klaus rolled his eyes and surprised her with a long kiss. Maleny hummed as he pulled back. "I love your persuasion tricks..."

"I _am_ quite charming," Klaus dramatically fixed his jacket, making her roll her eyes.

"Aaaand moment's over. Go," Maleny gestured for him to leave. "I'll distract myself with something…"

Still rather nervous, Klaus stayed where he was. He anxiously awaited for some type of angry burst from her but she remained in place, just sadly smiling. Eventually, he sped off to go find Elijah. Maleny sighed and turned away from the dead woman on the ground, walking to where the letter had landed. She picked it up again and read it over.

"Why do I have this dreadsome feeling?" she rubbed her stomach, fearing how the day would go by.

~ 0 ~

Lucien and the newly arrived Marlenie strolled down a festival packed street of the Quarter. In their short time together, Marlenie had jogged Lucien's memory of their rather brief moment centuries ago, and Lucien wondered if the fact he had practically killed and turned Klaus' daughter would become an issue later. Then again, if he hadn't done it, then Marlenie would be dead so...really Klaus would have to thank him? Right?

Marlenie was intently observing the people and their customs, their shops, their basic everything. She was in awe that this was the place her father had chosen to reside at. She had heard some very 'bad' things about him, mostly that he was probably the most feared vampire among their kind...but really that just made her even more excited to meet him. With her hands behind her back, much like a certain someone, she walked a little faster, turning her head every now and then to observe a new place.

"Do these silly humans find _every_ excuse to party?" she finally made a question. "I hardly ever go to packed places," she glanced back at Lucien with a devious smirk, "I do hate people sometimes."

"This is New Orleans, my dear," Lucien gestured with open arms, "A city that rarely sleeps. Now if you do plan on staying-"

"Oh, I plan to," Marlenie cut him calmly.

Lucien gave her a sharp look. "That's _if_ your story is believed."

"He _will_ believe me," Marlenie seemed to take offense of Lucien's stance. She turned to face him. "Because I know about the one person hardly anyone would know of. She's my insurance."

"And who would that be?" Lucien clearly was having fun time doubting her - it was a rather funny story to him.

Marlenie stayed unfazed by his doubts. "My mother," she answered and continued to walk.

"And who, pray tell, is your mother?" Lucien called after her, fairly curious of the second - or first in technical terms - woman Klaus had managed to impregnate.

"You wouldn't know her," Marlenie said as if it were obvious. For her, her mother was still jumping bodies and never remembering who she was - and her father with no idea left her unprotected.

"Because she's dead?" Lucien had caught up with her.

"My mother is not dead. Currently, she's living in another body as a different person, with no memory of who she really is."

Lucien was left thinking on that statement for about a minute before geniously coming up, " _What_?"

Marlenie rolled her eyes and crossed the street to go look at a stall selling handmade bracelets. Lucien, having thin patience, stopped her from picking one up. Marlenie instantly glared.

"You came into my home asking me for help, the least you can do is tell me the story," Lucien said sternly.

"If I do then will you bring me to my father?" Marlenie inquired. She had been heavily irritated Lucien withheld the location of Klaus' residence and the only reason she hadn't fought him for it was because...she was clever. Fighting at this point, being so close to finding Klaus, wouldn't get her anywhere but a giant step back.

Lucien swayed his head, feigning thought. "I might be persuaded to."

"You win nothing from keeping me away from him," Marlenie scowled at his childish behavior. "If anything, you would have him trusting you more for bringing his daughter to him. And in this awful sireline war, you need every advantage at your disposal."

"Well," Lucien looked at her as if he were pleasantly surprised, "you definitely have Klaus' mind in that little head of yours. You sound like him."

Marlenie gave half a smile and tilted her head. "I should like to meet the man from whom I inherited this mind, then. Do we have a deal?"

"Fine," Lucien nodded. "So, the mother?"

"She has a name," Marlenie scowled again. "Though at the time she was called Iris Velden - a noblewoman my father met while his family was hiding apparently. I don't know much of the details on that part."

"And you know what her real name was?"

"Of course, she remembered shortly after being taken away."

"Care to share it, then?"

Marlenie smirked and turned away. "It's Maleny Rowan - the village girl my father fell in love with as a human."

She walked towards a different stall, therefore missing Lucien's gaping face behind.

~ 0 ~

It didn't take much for Klaus to find Aurora. She had kept hidden in a perfume shop, the same one she used to send her little letter earlier in the day. She stood across him, making it seem like there was to be a joyous reunion.

"A thousand years," she breathed in awe, "Can it really have been so long? Looking at you now, it feels like yesterday."

Klaus had a scowl plastered over his face, from the moment he saw her it refused to leave. "If yesterday were the apocalypse."

"Are you saying that leaving me felt like the end of the world?"

"Leaving you alive."

Aurora chuckled then pretended to look past him. "I notice Elijah's not with you. Was he reluctant to tag along?"

"On the contrary, he's been calling me incessantly since I ditched him to find you, raving about some ancient secret and the possibility of using your head as a footstool." And frankly, Klaus was not interested to hear it. He nerely wanted to find Aurora before she learned of the many people he now held so dear.

A knowing smile spread across the redhead's lips. "Well, I'm sure he would rather have his footstool that have me share that little secret."

"Let me guess- in the time between being with me and seeking refuge in the arms of your brother, you slept with mine?"

"Oh, your accusations are so banal. The truth is, I've never been with your brother. At least, not in the way that you think."

"Why are you here, Aurora?"

Aurora took a minute to answer, but when she did she was on a whole new topic. "The witches here, they celebrate Fête de Cadeau- Feast of Gifts. It made me remember that very intimate gift we gave each other so long ago."

Knowing she spoke of his used-to-be-secret he smirked widely. "You should know my siblings know the truth now. There's no need to blackmail anymore so if that was your purpose in coming here, feel free to exit now."

Although mildly hurt he was discarding what used to be a special memory for them, Aurora, annoyed, declared her main priority. "I am here for the same reason Lucien and Tristan are- to protect my sire. Now, if you'd turned me that night like I'd asked, I would be here to protect you. But, since you didn't, I need to know... Where in the hell is Rebekah?"

~ 0 ~

Outside in the festival, Lucien and Marlenie were still conversing, now specifically over the story of Marlenie's parents. "So," Marlenie turned to face the older vampire, "my mother has been forced to jump bodies after being sacrificed to fuel a coven's power. I would imagine she currently inhabits the woman my father has with him now." And afterwards, a threatening glare took over her face.

"Which is another reason I need to see my father _now_. If I can explain to him the situation then we can work together to save my mother before she is viciously sacrificed yet again."

Lucien rubbed the side of his neck and looked away from her. "Klaus isn't exactly the one to listen to every stranger that comes into his home-"

"I am _not_ a stranger," Marlenie snapped, her voice visibly rising in annoyance. "I am his remaining child and he _will_ listen to me."

"Do you know _anything_ about Klaus?" Lucien gave her a curious look. It appeared Marlenie was behind in news regarding 'her father' from what he gathered.

Marlenie tilted her head, her eyes boring into his. "He is not exactly the easiest to track. For a while he became more of a myth than an actual person. So no, I don't know much about him except for what my mother told me."

"Right...Maleny…" Lucien repeated, still overly stunned of the irony.

Marlenie's eyes narrowed down at the way his voice suddenly changed. Lucien wondered how this could work best for him. Because Marlenie was right, if he were to bring Klaus his long lost daughter, it would score him immense points in his favor. But in his time in the Quarter he learned something quick: get to Maleny first, make her happy, and you would have Klaus' good side for a long while.

"I'll tell you what, Marlenie," Lucien finally spoke up again, suddenly with a bright smile, "Let me ease in the topic to Klaus and when I see it fit I'll take you to him."

Marlenie scrunched her nose in distaste. "Excuse me? I will not wait to be brought to my own father. You have to take me right now."

"I can't do that," Lucien shook his head. "At the moment, Elijah's sireline is in the Quarter, and they're not nice. I bring you into the war zone and you get killed? That wouldn't work for me."

"I am not that younger than you therefore I am far older than those of the Strix." And at the face of surprise Lucien had on, Marlenie explained. "I know of my enemies, and the Strix are very important."

"Then you know I am right. Go back to your place and wait for my call." Lucien didn't wait to see if she agreed. He walked away from her, intent on finding the blonde witch next.

Meanwhile, Marlenie puffed out and crossed her arms, watching after him with narrowed eyes. He wasn't telling her something and she wasn't very patient to wait it out.

~ 0 ~

Back in the perfume shop, Klaus was nearing the end of his thin patience. It only plunged deeper after hearing Aurora was there for Rebekah. "You came all this way to protect Rebekah?" he scoffed. "Bit of a wasted trip, really. Your sire has moved on to greener pastures. So, once again, goodbye," he went for the doors but Aurora, frustrated, shouted after him.

"My fate is bound to hers! I should be allowed to protect her," Aurora argued.

Klaus rolled his eyes and turned back for a minute. "You needn't concern yourself with Rebekah. Besides, I doubt she'd make the same mistake twice."

"The first mistake being...?"

"Ever trusting _you_."

Aurora was left confused for a moment until he realized he spoke about the manner of her turning. She laughed lightly. "I thought we were past that. You sure didn't seem so perturbed with the idea after our first encounter afterwards…"

Klaus scowled at the insinuation, wanting to hear nothing more of it. The action confused Aurora. It was as if he was regretful of their relationship?

~ 0 ~

In the cemetery, Davina was being celebrated as the regent, and thus being gifted with various gifts by the witches. Unbeknownst to her, Maleny was watching the exchange from across, in silent. She knew Hayley and Jackson were there as well, looking after the teen Regent and she just wanted a glimpse of her old friend in her new job. She hadn't spoken to Davina much after the incident with Kol's ashes and she doubted they would exchange words anytime soon. Standing at a distance was the closest she would get.

"She really looks uncomfortable with all those loud animals," the voice made Maleny jump in her spot. Lucien stood right beside her, feigning interest in the ordeal across them. "Not to mention she probably hates the outfit."

Maleny stared at the man with wide eyes, shocked to find him. "Lucien...what are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same thing about you," he countered. "I thought witches were welcomed into this place. Why are you standing here so lonely?"

Maleny sighed and changed gazes to Davina. "I'm not exactly friends with the Regent anymore. She hates me. So I stand here and just...watch. So let me get back to that, okay?"

"That's not very nice," Lucien shook his head. "I thought we were friends. You know I have been cleared of any suspicions from the murders right?"

Maleny gave him a sideways glance. "My friend Amarrah still thinks it's you."

"And you? What do you think?"

With a deep sigh, Maleny turned to him. She found it was difficult to look him in the eyes after knowing what they... _had_. She involuntarily swallowed hard, the feelings too overwhelming. "Honestly, I don't know what to think of you anymore." And that was nothing but the plain truth. Her mind was all jumbled up with resurfacing memories she didn't quite want to see.

"My, my, now why is it I can hear your little heart racing all of a sudden?" Lucien asked, amused by the changes of the blonde. He stepped towards her, reaching for her face.

"You need to leave me alone," Maleny mumbled and walked past him. "I don't want to see anyone right now."

Curious of her new cold behavior, Lucien turned and walked after her. "Now why are you mad? Don't tell me you and Nik have had another spat?"

Maleny could not take his mocking laugh and flat out told him, "Aurora is back and Klaus and Elijah are tending to her while I try not to scream out in frustration to the very first person I see."

Several emotions took over Lucien. First, confusion and then surprise, but the most severe one was the rage that filled his dark eyes. "She's _back_? Why didn't Klaus tell me?" he gritted his teeth and made to walk away this time, apparently to find the redhead himself.

"Don't you dare go after her either!" Maleny found herself shouting after him. She blinked rapidly for a minute, embarrassed by her warning.

Lucien seemed more annoyed but turned back to her anyways. "You know what she did…"

"Yes," Maleny released a big breath. She wondered how she could make it look like her new concern for him was simply out of politeness. "I understand that, but you need to let Klaus sort things out first and-"

"NO!" Lucien abruptly shouted. The blonde gasped and momentarily stayed silent. "Aurora is here and I need to see her-"

"But you shouldn't," Maleny said meekly. No matter what she thought of him and their toxic relationship of the past, she didn't want to see him getting entangled into something bigger. "At least...at least not right now. Please," she suddenly walked up to him, pleading to him, "can you take me to the festival? I think it would do both of us good if we distracted ourselves."

Lucien scoffed at the idea. "No-"

"We are the same," Maleny said softly. "You lost Cecilia to Aurora. And she has the power to take Klaus from me."

Lucien tilted his head, narrowing his eyes at her. "You expect that to work?"

Maleny pursed her lips together, half irritated. "I expect you to take me where I asked. Unless you want me to make up some story to Klaus where you upset me. Your choice."

After a minute of silence, Lucien sighed in resignation. "You are good."

A sneaky smile spread across Maleny's face. "I actually am."

~ 0 ~

Elijah had found Marcel in the now-gym of St. Ann's and was glad to see that Cami wasn't anywhere nearby to listen to what he had to say. He had met with Tristan and accused him of working with someone, clearly both against the Original vampires. Now he needed Marcel's help.

But it appeared Marcel wasn't so willing to give that help. He wasn't very pleased with the recent news of Cami joining the Strix and Elijah not doing anything to keep her away from that group. "Is that all you got? A hunch?" he briefly glanced at the suited Original, pretending to be more interested in a table of equipment beside him.

"I don't do hunches," Elijah snapped, irritated. "I've known Tristan a thousand years. He's not easily shaken, and yet I heard that little weasel's heart pound when I accused him of working with someone, and, strangely, nothing when I mentioned Aurora. He may be telling the truth about that."

"But, he could be hiding something," Marcel finished for him. "So now what? You think I'll just help you? After what you _didn't_ do for Cami?"

"You are mistaken if you think I happily let her join that group," Elijah glared. "But that's the thing, I can't do anything to force her to leave. She told me herself, Marcel. Now if you see another way to make her leave, by all means do it or tell me about it. In the meantime, I need you to do this for me. While Cami may be in control of the Quarter, you're the one with the connections."

Marcel lightly sighed, of course agreeing with the last statement. "Fine. I'll have my people trail your boy. Let's see what they find out."

"Thank you," Elijah nodded civilly.

~ 0 ~

In the perfume shop, Aurora had taken to pricking her index fingertip while babbling on about something irrelevant to the main problem. "You can always catch an insect with the smell of a flower…" she let her blood drip into a perfume bottle then dabbed the newly blooded perfume over her neck. Afterwards, she held it towards Klaus. "But it's the smell of blood that draws a carnivore."

Klaus snatched her wrist and pushed her away. "And what draws a snake?"

Aurora smirked, "Ooh," she backtracked a couple steps, "how you loathe me, so certain I've come to do you harm. Yet, as I recall, we did plenty of harm to each other. And, if I'm not mistaken, we both rather liked it, didn't we? Do you remember what that first time felt like, to be with someone every bit as powerful, as tormented, and as cursed as you?"

It was inevitable for Klaus to consider the answer. As crazy as Aurora was, she did match him in every aspect of their personality and physical aptitude. He had even told Maleny weeks ago, how opposite she was to him. She was gentle, she was soft, and no matter the many times she claimed to 'not be a good person' she would never match the things he had done in his lifetime.

"Yes…" he finally answered, going with the truth for that time.

Aurora took it as something else and smirked. "Look me in the eye and tell me that you haven't thought about what we had every day for the last thousand years."

That one was easy for Klaus. "I haven't," he replied back with an even bigger smirk than hers.

Aurora narrowed her eyes, refusing to believe him. "Do you want to know why I have come? Because after a thousand years of trying to erase your touch, your smell, the taste of your lips... I'm here for you." She walked up to him, leaning closer as if to kiss him when she caught a scent she knew she hadn't been responsible for. She pulled away, tilting her head as a look of curiosity settled over her face. "That's a lovely perfume," she remarked, feigning a smile. "May I know who's the owner so I can acquire it myself?"

"Over my burning corpse," was Klaus answer, which came far too fast and protective for Aurora's taste.

~ 0 ~

Now in the festival, Maleny sat on the edge of a lonesome bench waiting for Lucien to return. She was beginning to regret having asked him to bring her there, like they were the best of friends. Would it be considered cheating? There was certainly not going to be any kissing or hand holding...so it was fine, right?

She just didn't want Lucien meeting with Aurora thinking that because of her 'Cecilia' was forever gone when in reality the real person he had "fallen in love with" was very much alive...and loving another. The churn of her stomach made her feel sick to the bone with guilt. She felt guilty for both men she loved in the past...but it also made her feel torn.

* * *

 _"You might want to at least blink," Rebekah whispered to Maleny who quickly followed the advice and shook her head, blinking rapidly. Rebekah smiled teasingly as they continued to watch her brothers in a pseudo-sword match. They were taking advantage that neither Esther nor Mikael were not around, because if they were Mikael would have put an end to it as soon as it started. In the last moment, Klaus was able to gain a quick upperhand against Elijah and the two brothers laughed, ending it with the winner._

 _"I would like a chance," Rebekah sighed._

 _"I think absolutely not," Elijah gave her a warning look, knowing his sister often got with her ideas._

 _"You would hurt yourself," Maleny agreed and looked back at the two brothers. "I much rather prefer to watch." Rebekah rolled her eyes at the comment, as she assumed Maleny's mind was being once again over-flooded with thoughts on Klaus._

 _"I rather like it when you do," Klaus came by Maleny, both smiling at each other._

 _Rebekah mocked a deep sigh and languidly looked around. "Well you have bored me now. I'm going to go see what else I can entertain myself with," she deviously smiled and turned away._

 _"You should probably go see she doesn't actually do anything," Klaus warned Elijah, but the elder brother knew Klaus could care less what Rebekah was up to. Still, he gave a nod, collected their swords, and went after Rebekah._

 _"Would you teach me, then?" Maleny innocently asked after they were left alone._

 _Klaus took a moment to think about her request but was still confused. "I thought you just said you wouldn't want to...?"_

 _"I thought you would like an excuse to hold me," Maleny took on a similar devious smile Rebekah had._

 _"Very true point," Klaus thought himself stupid for not thinking of that sooner._ _Maleny inched closer, gently dragging her fingers along his arm. "And I suppose I could also use it as an excuse to tell you...things..." he discreetly took her hand from his arm and gripped it._

 _"Ooh, I'm fairly interested to hear those words..." Maleny smiled.  
_

 _Discreetly, the two made it out from the village in time before Maleny started giggling while Klaus took a hold of her from behind, beginning to tell her those words she so liked to hear in the middle of their first kisses._

* * *

Maleny released a breath. "I love you too," she whispered guiltily. She did, she knew she did. But now her mind was truly playing a cruel game as it constantly reminded her of moments with Klaus...and then Lucien.

* * *

 _"Do you know how boring it is to have to listen to my cousin Tristan give speeches all the time?" Cecilia thought it rude but she laughed anyways._

 _Lucien, walking beside her in a lonely part of the castle, smiled. "Well, I was never one to truly like your cousin, but..."_

 _Cecilia giggled and turned to be in front of him. "Well, you do not have to pretend to like him in front of me."_

 _"Oh, I know," Lucien reached to touch her face. "With you I never have to pretend. I can love freely when I'm with you."_

 _"As can I," Cecilia agreed with a smile. "You are the only one that makes living here bearable."_

 _"Funny," Lucien stroked her cheek, "you do the same for me, my dear Cecilia."_

 _Cecilia's smile widened as he leaned down to kiss her._

* * *

Maleny covered her mouth and shut her eyes as she wished hard for the memory to fade away.

What would happen if she told Klaus about the newest life she remembered? The extreme jealousy rage would be the first phase, no doubt. He would shout and throw things, destroy some of them, while he raged. The next phase would no doubt consist of him finding Lucien and killing the poor man for something he hadn't chosen.

And what if she told Lucien? He would react with disbelief at first, reviewing what he thought he knew about Cecilia. That she was dead, that she was murdered by Aurora and probably buried by himself. But when she told him all she now knew about him, he would have no choice to believe it. And then? Well, he would surely get himself into trouble with Klaus by coming in and telling him he loved the same woman.

The two options were eating at her mind, and Maleny felt she couldn't talk about it to anyone. Cami was far too wrapped up with the Quarter's issues, and now the Strix unfortunately. Amarrah was still working hard with Vincent to solve the murder cases. Davina was a clear 'no', and Hayley had to look after Hope and tend to the Regent teen to keep the curse away. Freya? Well, she was Klaus' sister. That ended that.

For the first time in a long time, Maleny felt alone.

"I don't understand what this is supposed to be…" she heard Lucien's voice not too far from her and looked up to see the vampire walking towards her holding a purple smoothie.

A sheepish smile worked its way across her face as she took the smoothie from him. "It's a berry smoothie," she informed while he took a seat beside her. "I like berries," she said before taking a deep drink. Lucien watched as a weird expression took over her facial features. She yelped and rubbed her temple, and so he laughed. "It's not funny," came her weak scold, followed by a whack on the arm. "You'd be the same if you had a brain freeze. Of course, you'd have to be alive first."

"Ooh," Lucien feigned offence as he put a hand over his chest. "That wounded me deeply. Reminding me I have not been alive for centuries."

And while it was meant to be sarcasm, Maleny could see there was more of a meaning behind his words...evidently speaking out of a restless heart. She looked down to her lap, licking her lips nervously. "I didn't mean to cause you pain. I have a mouth that won't stop."

"Wouldn't be the first time I encountered that type of woman," Lucien sighed, straightening on his spot.

Maleny felt worse for making more similar remarks and acts of that Cecilia. That wasn't her plan either, to torture the poor man. "You want to go look at stuff?" she suddenly suggested and jumped to her feet.

"Excuse me?" Lucien looked up, amused by her sudden excitement. "I brought you to the festival like you wanted. Now you want me to take you out to the stalls?"

"Aha," Maleny nodded, innocently sipping her smoothie's straw.

Lucien watched her curiously, genuinely wondering how in the hell a woman like that was, by choice, with someone like Klaus. She seemed too bright, too...fragile. But then again who was he to judge, Cecilia was the same way. With the sense of familiarity again, Lucien found himself agreeing to her request.

~ 0 ~

Aurora, surprisingly, kept her calm attitude as she took several steps around the perfume shop. "I'm not one to openly display jealousy," she remarked, and received a loud scoff from Klaus. "But I am curious to know what little harlot you have in this city."

Klaus angrily sped towards her, grabbing her in a choke-hold as he pinned her against a glass counter. "Choose your next words with care for they will be your last ones before you die."

Aurora gasped, but not from lack of air. She was more exhilarated by the force than anything. "Ooh, such actions. Am I to assume you've taken this one as a pet, then? Your favorite one?"

Klaus' response was plunging his hand through her chest for her heart.

"Kill me now but you will never know the dark secret that has kept us apart for so many centuries," Aurora gripped his arm with the hand near her heart. "Because I promise you as soon as I tell you, you will chuck that other woman to the side and come to me."

Klaus laughed and let her go, stepping back to give her a pitiful look. "Don't make promises that will never come true."

Aurora crinkled her nose, a bit discouraged by this new attitude, but not about to give it up. "Listen to me, Klaus, just listen. Listen to what I have to say and then you will see for yourself why you will ultimately come back to me."

Klaus rolled his eyes, "You are wasting your time-"

"The night you left without me," Aurora, frustrated, interrupted to make her story known. "You didn't even bother to look back."

"Why would I have?" Klaus snapped, taking a step towards her as the rage, and immense pain, filled his heart at the reminder of how the woman had broken him centuries ago. "You said everything you wanted to. And you know, you should count yourself lucky. In a thousand years, only one person has talked to me that way and lived."

"I was rather cruel, wasn't I?" Aurora ignored his anger, still firmly believing it would vanish when she revealed the truth. "Some might say uncharacteristically so."

"What are you getting at?"

"I was not the architect of our heartbreak. In the moments before you asked me to flee with you, I saw your brother...and foolishly I let it slip of the secret you shared with me. When he asked me to tell, I told him I wouldn't betray you, and that true love transcends blood, but he wouldn't listen. He just had one question. He ordered me to speak…"

"And so you told him," Klaus finished for her, his anger, honestly, simmering as the shock took him over. Elijah had to have compelled her or else she probably wouldn't have spoken up.

Aurora's tears welled in her eyes. "I couldn't stop the words flying out of my mouth- words I swore I would never tell to another living soul, about how you killed your mother and blamed your father, and you had to lie to them so that they would flee with you. When you came to see me not minutes later, begging me to go with you, I could not say yes. I had been compelled otherwise. I was to see you for the monster you were. Now I believe it was the first time Elijah experienced the ability to compel, and when he understood what he did, he did not come and undo it."

"So, that's it…?" Klaus blinked with wide eyes, feeling like the air had been sucked out of him. "Elijah's secret?" he could now understand the persistence of Elijah earlier, trying to tell him something. He just never thought it would be something like this.

"Yes. You made him suffer the loss of a mother, and this was his revenge." Aurora had been right about something, his anger for her would vanish. But it didn't mean what she wanted to happen would happen.

His anger, now turned fury, would turn onto another Original.

~ 0 ~

Maleny laughed when Lucien refused to try a sample a nice old woman was trying to give him. She stood at the other end of the stall, trying what looked like salsa, but she was more willing apparently.

"I'm not having it," he rudely told the old woman who, in response, glared and 'hmphd' away. "Humans have the annoying habit of pushing their luck," he muttered afterwards, walking for Maleny.

"Hmm, watch it," she playfully warned as eyes scanned for a new sample to taste, "Need I remind you I am still one of them."

"Yes but you have a talent of being more...less annoying."

"Oh, wow, thanks. I feel so special," Maleny picked up a small bowl of a new kind of salsa, ready to try it. "I think I'll drown my specialness with food."

"I wouldn't do that…"

Maleny rolled her eyes and turned to him, about to make a witty remark but Lucien had been far closer than she imagined and so the two bumped into each other and the bowl of salsa was dumped over Maleny's blouse.

"That's cold!" the blonde screeched and let the bowl crash to the floor.

Lucien hadn't intended on that and openly apologized, which for him really only ever happened with one person - and he took notice of it. "I'm sorry," he tried to help Maleny but she swatted his hands away from her. She wasn't going to let him touch her, especially her blouse!

"No, I got it!" she turned to the stall, calling out for the old woman.

Lucien felt a light pick up of wind behind, and nearly froze when he heard the voice behind speak. "Is this what I was ditched for? Some petty game of flirting with a human?" Marlenie tilted her head at the back of the man, her voice an eerie calm.

Lucien turned to her, for once totally lost on his next move. Marlenie looked past him just as Maleny took the cloth from the old woman and turned to the two. "Can we please go? I'd rather smell like salsa in a bar," Maleny glumly remarked as she wiped at her blouse.

Marlenie's eyes widened as Maleny raised her gaze to the two vampires. But of course, she viewed Marlenie as nothing but a stranger. "Is this a friend of yours, Lucien?" she asked, disinterested.

"Uh…" Lucien scratched his head and looked between the two women who seemed roughly around the same age.

"...yes," Marlenie was the one to answer. Her voice was frail and her eyes were with tears. "What...what are you doing here?"

Maleny arched an eyebrow, slowly answering, "At a festival, clearly. Why are you looking at me like that?"

The way the glossy blue eyes of Marlenie were boring into hers made a strange feeling start in Maleny. She didn't understand what it was, but it didn't make her feel well.

"Wh-what is your name?" Marlenie then asked, needing a final confirmation that the woman standing mere feet from her was…

"It's Maleny, and yours?"

"Marl…" but Marlenie stopped herself from finishing. "Marly. Marly, that's my name." She flickered her eyes to Lucien, immediately suspicious of him again. "How do you know Lucien?"

Maleny coughed awkwardly, briefly answering, "He's a friend of my boyfriend's."

Marlenie's eyes snapped back on the blonde, a sudden fury lacing every last of her facial features. " _Boyfriend_?" she repeated the word with hatred. Could it be possible that her m-mother spoke about someone else? She was not supposed to be walking around in her original body, it was almost impossible! Could she be walking about with no memory of who she was still? Who it was she truly loved? Who she birthed?

Lucien could see what Marlenie was thinking and before she said something wrong, he stepped in and clarified Maleny's words. "She's the woman of our sire, my dear Marl...Marly, Klaus."

Marlenie slowly softened again, her heart swelling and her lips curling into a wide smile. "Klaus? Really?"

Maleny was becoming uncomfortable with the woman's radical changes of behavior. One moment she seemed upset, the next angry, and now she was happy?

"Yes," Lucien gave Marlenie a hard look warning her to control herself. "So we better treat her right."

Maleny rolled her eyes. "Please tell me now if that's how Klaus is referring to me when he's with you people. Because if it is, I'll slap him."

Marlenie immediately chuckled at such a joke she knew only her mother would make. "I like your sense of humor, Maleny." Saying her mother's name, _to_ her mother, was a feeling so indescribable, yet so memorable.

"Thanks," Maleny nodded, momentarily studying her. "You have pretty eyes."

Marlenie smiled, her hand slowly reaching near her eyes. "Thank you. I got them from my father, apparently. And your hair…" her smile widened, recalling that her father, apparently, would always compliment her mother's hair with, "...it's such pretty hair."

Maleny liked the compliment and ran a hand down her blonde hair. "Thanks, that's what my boyfriend says. So," she looked between Marlenie and Lucien, "you both are part of Klaus' sireline, then? Are you here to protect him as well?" she asked of Marlenie.

"You can say that," Marlenie nodded. "Do you think I can see him?" it was a difficult struggle not to sound so excited.

"Look, he's not exactly fond of being 'protected'. He's not even happy this guy's here," Maleny chucked a thumb to Lucien.

"Well," Lucien feigned offense at the comment and looked away.

"I'd still like to see him," Marlenie meekly insisted.

Maleny then sighed, setting the cloth on the stall counter. "To be honest, so would I. But he's a bit busy with…" she took in a breath, just the idea of Klaus being in the same room with Aurora put her into a dangerous anger. Marlenie could see that her mother was troubled by something, and had it not been for her incredible resistance she would have asked about it. Maleny soon shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled at the two vampires. "I'm going to go see if I can find a new blouse around here for cheap," she looked down at her stained covered blouse.

"Here," Lucien pulled out his wallet and began taking out a couple of bills.

"I am not taking money from you!" Maleny exclaimed, sounding offended by the gesture.

"I would have figured since it was technically my fault you would be more open to the idea," Lucien said, honestly surprised.

Maleny thought about for a minute before swiping the money from his hands. "Good point. I expect drinks after this too."

"I more or less knew you would," Lucien playfully rolled his eyes. Maleny chuckled and went off to find her a blouse.

Marlenie, dumbfounded, watched her mother leave and suddenly punched Lucien on the arm. " _Why_ are you flirting with my mother!?" she glared openly, and frankly a little darkly. "She's with my father if you forgot!"

"Who, you should know, is spending quality time with his ex," Lucien bitterly replied back.

Marlenie stepped back, narrowing her eyes. "What?"

"Aurora de Martel, the first sired of Rebekah Mikaelson has just arrived today. Klaus is currently with her."

"You're lying," Marlenie scowled, her voice slightly softening.

"You could discreetly ask Maleny about it and see for yourself. By the way, any particular reason you didn't tell her who you were?"

"I wasn't expecting her to be... _her_ ," Marlenie sighed. "Now it's more complicated. She doesn't remember us. And why is she…" it seemed like she was deeply disturbed suddenly, "...still _mortal_?"

Lucien widely smiled, almost mocking. "Perhaps Klaus is unwilling to turn her because he does not think it would be worth it?"

Marlenie reacted fast and sped him to a wall of a street. She curled her hand around his neck and gritted her teeth. "You would do well not to speak badly about my parents. I may look like a nice little girl but I assure you I fight like a right terror," she gripped her hand on his neck and pushed him again. "I may not know how my parents may be today, but I know they love each other. You will not persuade me to believe otherwise."

Unimpressed with her, Lucien pried her hand from his neck and stepped off the wall. "You are such a small thing to hold all this rage. Might I suggest you out it towards the real cause? Preventing our sireline's demise."

Marlenie glanced back towards the festival, quickly scanning the area until she found Maleny at a stall, curiously looking through blouses. "For right now, I only want to spend an afternoon with my mother. If I cannot see my father today, then I will spend my first day here with my mother. I want to learn everything about her, how she broke the curse, what she remembers...how she and my father are doing. Everything."

"Slow it down, princess," Lucien forced her to turn back to him. "Need I remind you if you choose not to tell her who you are, you can't expect to have some deep conversation with Maleny. She's smart, she'll know you're up to something."

Marlenie ignored him in favor of her mother. She walked towards the blonde who was looking between two blouses, a pink and turquoise one. "Oh, neither of those are pretty," Marlenie clicked her tongue and looked at the other blouses hanging.

"I'm trying not to be picky," Maleny sheepishly said. "I just want something that doesn't smell like tomatoes and chili."

Marlenie hummed as her fingers tapped along her cheek, her blue eyes jumping from one blouse to another. "Doesn't mean you can't look for something nice. Trust me," she flashed Maleny a proud smile, "I'm a designer."

Maleny cocked an eyebrow, about to say 'yeah right' but the woman was centuries old, and much like Lucien, had probably gotten to where she was due to her vampirism. In the end, her shoulders shrugged and motioned for Marlenie to do her thing. As she did, Maleny curiously studied the dark-haired vampire.

Something about her made Maleny feel odd, almost uneasy. Before she knew it, she found herself remarking, "You're awfully young."

Marlenie glanced sideways to smile warmly. "You and I both know it's only an appearance. I'm nearing my thousand years now."

"I know," Maleny nodded, "but I meant that when you turned you must have been what? Twenty?"

Marlenie looked back to the blouses, a little more quiet now. "Round there."

"That's a really young age. May I ask why you turned?"

"I didn't turn by choice..." Marlenie paused, debating if it was a good idea specifying how she had been turned. For now it would only sadden Maleny, but what would happen when she found out it was her daughter's story?

Maleny assumed by her sudden silence that she had overstepped her boundaries. "You don't have to. I...I have a way of...saying things I shouldn't. Sorry."

"It's alright," Marlenie waved off the subject and pulled out a nice white blouse with short sleeves. "How about this? I like what it does to your eyes."

Maleny took the blouse and gave it a once over before nodding. "Yeah, it's fine. You do have good taste."

Marlenie chuckled. "Thank you. Shall we pay and go get those drinks you wanted?"

"You want to spend the day with a human trying to escape problems?" Maleny chuckled herself now. "I mean, you don't have to. Lucien has to because I'm his ticket to Klaus' good side. He thinks I don't know that's his plan," she gave a light snort, "Men are idiots."

Marlenie narrowed her eyes at the slightly smaller blonde. "You're a sneaky one."

"When you live with vampires as long as I have, you have to learn how to be sneaky," Maleny waved the blouse and went off to go pay, leaving Marlenie to ponder of her mother's new demeanor.

She concluded she very much liked it.

~ 0 ~

Elijah was back in the compound waiting for word on Marcel task. He had expected to find Maleny around but when she didn't appear, he assumed she'd gone out to distract herself. If only he could do the same.

Just as he finished leaving Klaus another voicemail, Marcel walked into the courtyard.

"Yep. We got a problem," was his declaration.

With a resigned sigh, Elijah turned to meet him. "Well?"

"My guy stayed on Tristan's tail all day. Followed him to this place called the Candide Royale. He goes in, never comes out. So, he's obviously using it as a way to get to somewhere."

"How and where?"

"The building has hidden passageways leading out the back. Now, bootleggers used them in the '20s to run booze to a secret storehouse on Dauphine, and you'll never guess who just bought that storehouse. Kingmaker Land Development, owned by one Lucien Castle. Now, that sure as hell isn't a coincidence. Either they're brokering some kind of truce…"

Elijah was honestly surprised, and a little mad at himself for not thinking about it sooner. "...Or, they've been working together the whole time."

~ 0 ~

"You've had a thousand years to tell me of Elijah's betrayal. Why now?" Klaus was still having trouble resigning to the harsh betrayal of his brother. Coming from Aurora, he was justified to.

"Well, there's never been a prophecy witch spelling all our doom until now!" Aurora frantically flapped her arms, making look like it should have been obvious.

Seeing she had knowledge of the now dead witch, Klaus curiously asked, "What do you know of her?"

"I know I killed her," Aurora, unperturbed, answered. "My brother told me of her prophecy, but I needed to see her for myself. And what did she show me? The clan Mikaelson destroyed, including my sire. And I believed her. But, a dangerous toy in dangerous hands must be removed, so I poisoned her. And now, I'm going to change the future she saw."

"By turning me against the only brother I have left."

"The prophecy said that you would fall boyfriend, by foe, and by family," Aurora listed off her fingers then gave him a narrowed look. "Have you thought of who that family might be? 'Cause it might just be the one closest to you."

Her words rang a truth in Klaus' mind.

~ 0 ~

Still at the festival, Lucien stood on the sidelines watching a group of musicians playing across the street. When he smelt the familiar scent of, well, berries, he gave a mere clear of his throat and continued to watch the musicians.

Maleny had now changed into the white blouse Marlenie picked up for her. She had only come to find Lucien for their drinks. But now that she saw how interested Lucien appeared to be with the musicians, she became curious. "Do you play anything?"

"I hate it," was Lucien's answer, sounding bitter and a most hateful towards it.

"Well, I love it," Maleny declared, much more cheerful. "Back in my village I used to love watching our musicians. I loved the tunes they managed to play with such simple instruments. The melodies are so interesting and so much fun to dance to."

"Yes," Lucien sighed, and Maleny noticed his tone shift to that familiar melancholy one.

She turned and stared at him. "Have I said something I shouldn't have?"

Lucien raised his look that turned sour all of a sudden. "You have this amazing ability to remind me of her…"

The guilt flashed in her eyes and so Maleny looked down before he could see it. "I'm...sorry."

"Cecilia loved the music," Lucien glanced back at the musicians. "Like you said, the melodies are interesting and fun to dance to. She loved it all…"

"I'm sure you had nice dances," Maleny tried to uplift the mood.

Lucien scoffed instantly. "Are you forgetting who I was back then? Who _she_ was?"

"U-um…"

"It was impossible to ever have a dance together, a real one anyways…" Lucien sighed deeper, berating his mind silently for the flashes of memories he was beginning to remember.

* * *

 _It was night time and in the De Martel castle there was a fun evening party. The noblemen and women were dancing to the tunes played by the Count's musicians. Others were still eating and the rest were merely talking. Cecilia de Ark stood on the sidelines of the dancing area, staring in awe. She wanted to go out there, but there was not anyone she really wanted to dance with._

 _"My lady," Lucien appeared behind the table she was standing by. Cecilia looked back, looking as if the evening had just gotten better. Lucien looked out to the dancing guests. "Will you not dance tonight?"_

 _Cecilia shook her head. "I shouldn't think so. The music is great but I wish to dance only with you."_

 _Lucien warmly smiled at her. "What I would give to have a dance with you, Cecilia."_

 _Cecilia pushed some of her hair from her face and smiled back. "Do you know how to dance?"_

 _"Um, well...not exactly…" at the nervousness Lucien displayed, Cecilia giggled. "I never had the time to, you know...learn."_

 _Cecilia sobered from her giggle and discreetly stepped back until they were side by side. Lucien was startled when he felt her hand taking his behind their backs. Cecilia looked at him with a soft smile. "I would gladly help you."_

 _"The chances of that are almost impossible, my lady," Lucien gripped her hand, and now both sadly stared back to the dancing guests._

* * *

Maleny was overwhelmed with guilt and, almost frantically, told him, "We need drinks, now! Marly got a head start to Rousseau's, I only came to get you. C'mon."

Feeling for a drink himself, Lucien gave in and the two walked away to meet with Marlenie.

~ 0 ~

Aurora was satisfied to see the rage Klaus had first shown towards her now fading away from his eyes. She only needed to wait perhaps a night or so for him to come back to her. "I've given you much to think about," she began, walking towards him. She reached for his jacket's lapels, intending to tug him closer but he pushed her hands off him. Irritated nonetheless, she bid goodbye. "I'll leave you to work through-"

Klaus grabbed her and sped her to a shelf, shoving her back to it. Aurora remained calm, expecting something more or less like that from him.

"Go to Elijah," she said. "Ask him yourself. I suspect you know what you will find. And, when you do, come find me. See who's really on your side." It was she who took the first leave from the shop.

Klaus stood there, alone, unable to understand so much...betrayal. He was shocked, he was furious, and he was hurt. Well, he wouldn't stay like that for much longer.

~ 0 ~

In the compound, Elijah was having himself a drink at the bar, basically waiting for Klaus to come home and reproach him. He knew better than to expect Aurora to keep quiet.

"She told you," he spoke up as soon as he felt Klaus' presence in the room. "How convenient, to voice this ancient grievance in the very moment we need to stand united against our enemies."

"You speak to me of enemies when the greatest traitor of my life stands before me," Klaus half-shouted before speeding up to him and shoving him fave first to the shelf of bottles. In the attempt, the wooden counter broke into pieces as well. As Elijah got up, Klaus took opportunity and kicked him in the chest, forcing him back down.

Once Elijah finally made it to his feet, he was punched several times on the face. Elijah recovered more or less fast and quickly made his retaliation by headbutting back. Klaus snatched him by the neck and pinned him against the balcony rail. Elijah managed to get a punch in so hard that Klaus went backwards and fell on his knees. Elijah reached out and grabbed him by the back of his coat to smash him on your the coffee table. As Klaus recovered, Elijah unbuttoned his jacket, foreseeing quite the fight.

"What you did to me - you set my course!" Klaus accused in a loud roar.

"What does it matter now?" Elijah snapped, unable to comprehend the necessity for a fight over a woman that didn't matter anymore. "Maleny is the one you care about, have you forgotten?"

"Do not bring her into this!" Klaus snapped, even more angry Maleny was being used as a ploy to subside his fury. "This is not about her, this is not about Aurora, this is about what _you_ did to _me_."

"I protected you!" Elijah argued back. "I protected our family. Aurora was the sister of a lunatic, and a powerful lunatic at that! Father was in pursuit. What was I supposed to do, Niklaus? And despite every one of your despicable deeds, I alone have always stood by you."

"And why is that? _Guilt,"_ Klaus lunged for Elijah to begin a new fight, one he intended on winning at.

~ 0 ~

"You are not drinking that," Marlenie swiped a glass off the bar counter, the glass filled with bright yellow fluid, before Maleny could reach for it.

Maleny pouted, no longer in her full five senses. "Hey…"

Marlenie pulled the drink further away, exchanging a look with Lucien who sat on Maleny's other side, before deciding to drink it herself. "Oh, just as well, this is disgusting," she crinkled her nose afterwards.

Maleny groaned and turned her stool towards the other customers of the bar. "You suck. Here I am trying to not rip someone's head off because of my jealousy, and you're not letting me drink a lousy glass of alcohol?"

"There are other, more productive ways, to expel jealousy," Marlenie chuckled, surprised she was handling it with amusement. But she saw her mother wasn't worrying as much so why should she?

"Good point," Maleny nodded, pursing her lips while she thought of something else. "I want to dance! Can I do that?"

"Sure, if you want to Klaus to come and rip off the head of whomever you're dancing with," Lucien muttered as he drank down another glass.

Maleny rolled her eyes and leaned on the counter. "Like I give a damn. I deserve a free pass. I want to dance," she hopped off her stool and turned to Marlenie and Lucien. "Actually, I wanted to drink a little more, buuuut…"

"Not happening," went Marlenie and Lucien together.

"Vampires are annoying," Maleny grumbled to herself as she turned for the dancing area.

Marlenie accepted another drink from the bartender and turned her stool to watch her mother dance. Lucien also took another drink and lightly sighed. "Aren't you going to follow?" he asked.

"Nah, I don't do dancing," Marlenie shook her head. Lucien rolled his eyes and downed his drink. Marlenie watched the action with amusement. "Easy there, you'll get properly drunk quicker than my mother."

"I'm simply following into Maleny's game. I'd like to forget that the woman who murdered my love is in the same city as I am," Lucien gripped the glass in his hand.

Marlenie's eyebrows raised upwards. "Quite the tragic story."

"Says the woman who lost her parents to some curse and lived alone for centuries."

Marlenie, now irritated, scowled. "That wasn't an insult I was trying to make."

"Like I care," Lucien put down his glass and pulled out a couple bills to cover the drinks. "I'm done here," he declared as he got up from his stool.

"Where are you going?" Marlenie turned her stool as he walked past her.

"Home, before _I_ rip someone's head off," Lucien snapped. "You don't need me, darling. _There's_ your mother," he gestured with a hand towards Maleny who was nearing closer to them.

Marlenie scowled but let him go. He was right, she didn't need him anymore. Why should she care if he left? Now less annoyed, she returned to her drinks. However, before Lucien actually left, Maleny caught him by the arm.

"Where are you going?" she pouted at him.

"Home. I'm done playing babysitter," Lucien harshly shook her hand off his arm.

The remark took Maleny by surprise, and soon took offense. "I-I didn't mean to make you feel like a babysitter…"

Lucien stared at her, confused. She was acting far too serene for someone who literally forced him to talk in an interrogation room. But her big blue eyes were boring onto him, and its way was strikingly familiar.

"Instead of going home to brood because of that stupid redhead, stay and dance," Maleny persisted yet again, but didn't touch him anymore. "I promise I'll tell Klaus all about how you took good care of me," she giggled. "Okay, so maybe you _are_ like a babysitter."

"This is supposed to make me stay?" Lucien cocked an eyebrow at her, although he did have to admit she was beginning to amuse him.

"No, the dancing is!" Maleny yanked him from the door.

"I don't do dancing, I already told you," Lucien groaned but nonetheless allowed her to lead him away.

"And I don't care!" Maleny declared and turned to him wearing a smirk. "You're doing it and that's that!"

Any other moment perhaps Lucien would've outright refused, but he was transported to a similar memory of his past.

* * *

 _"Cecilia?" Lucien called as soon as he got into her bedroom chamber._

 _She was already waiting for him at the edge of her bed. "I'm here," she chuckled and got up. "You, however, are late."_

 _"Apologies, but being who I am does not allow me to leave my work as I would wish," Lucien sighed as he walked up to her._

 _Cecilia's smile faded at the remark. She draped her arms around his neck. "Do not belittle yourself, please," she requested softly. "You are an honest man, who works for a living."_

 _"I stopped being honest the moment I turned, my dear," Lucien corrected quietly. "And though I work for a living, it does not matter if I am not a noble person like you. Being who I am will never allow me the privilege to marry you. Or," he gave a bitter chuckle, "to have something as simple as a dance with you."_

 _Cecilia traced her fingers over his cheeks. "You know very well the moment you ask me to run away with you I will. The minute you ask me to tell everyone who I love, I will. You are stronger than them, Lucien. You shouldn't feel inferior to them. You are unique."_

 _"Leave it to Cecilia de Ark to make a beast feel loved," Lucien dramatically sighed, making her chuckle. He pepper-kissed her face and she laughed louder._

 _"Stop it! Stop it!" she swatted him away. "I wanted to remedy our dancing problem."_

 _"How so?" Lucien curiously asked her._

 _"It's quite simple actually. Dance with me," Cecilia requested, once again wrapping her arms around his neck. "Please?"_

 _"There's no actual music, Cecilia," Lucien sighed. He appreciated her attempt but it simply wasn't the same._

 _"Oh, just do it!" Cecilia playfully scolded him._

 _"But-"_

 _"It's don't care. You're doing it and that's that!"_

 _In the end, Lucien chuckled and gave in. "As my lady wishes."_

* * *

Marlenie thanked the bartender for another drink and looked out to find her mother. She was more than surprised to find Lucien was still there, and dancing with Maleny! It was actually quite amusing at first, to see a half drunk Maleny attempting to uplift the thousand years old vampire.

"You are horrible at this!" Maleny giggled as Lucien whirled them around. "How could a vampire be so awful at dancing!?"

Lucien rolled his eyes. "You're not very nice…"

"It's not my fault you're God awful at this! Thank Lord you have good looks or you'd be lost!"

The familiar spark happened again.

Entranced, Lucien pulled her towards him. "Why are you so familiar to me?" he whispered.

Maleny curiously looked up at him, swallowing hard. She was well aware this would be considered bad, and she wanted none of it. "N-n-n-no," she shook her head and pushed him away. "I...I should go. Th-thank you for spending your day with me. I...I...bye," she hurried on out before Lucien said a word.

Marlenie jumped out of her stool and hurried up to Lucien who was still slightly out of it. "What just happened?" she demanded, fairly angry.

"I would be lying if I said I knew," Lucien shrugged, scratching his head.

"Where did she go!? She can't leave me! Take me to her please!" Marlenie begged and started pulling him for the doors, desperate to follow after her mother.

"Oh calm down," Lucien harshly yanked her back. "Let her go back. Your parents are probably going to need a word with each other after Klaus returns from his day with Aurora. I don't think it will be a place for kids."

Marlenie pushed his hand off her and crossed her arms, still struggling to relax. She didn't want to wait more when she had her mother with her for an entire afternoon. She was so very close, and yet she still had to wait?

~ 0 ~

Maleny was coming into the courtyard rather slowly, and a little stumbling due to her excess of drinks. However, when she heard the violent sounds of smashing and shouts, it all subsided. Recognizing the voices, she ran further inside the courtyard and screamed as she ducked abruptly, barely dodging the incoming piece of table flying in her direction. Her presence stopped Klaus and Elijah in the middle of fight.

As Maleny got back to her feet, she took notice of the aggressive dishevelment state the compound was in...not to mention the state of the two brothers.

"Can either of you explain _what_ is going on here?" Maleny walked up to the two, grabbing Elijah's arm that bore a nasty hybrid bite. "Klaus, I'm fairly interested here."

Klaus took a long stare at her, lightly sniffing the air she came in with. "You've been drinking," he said.

Maleny threw him at sharp glare. "And you saw your ex. Don't keep at this game because you _will_ lose. Explain. Now."

Elijah cleared his throat, expectantly glancing at Klaus for him to explain. "Well, brother?"

Klaus glared right back at him. "I will not take the blame for something not remotely my fault! _You_ forced Aurora to break my heart. You are the architect of that ending!"

Maleny blinked, clearing her throat right afterwards. "You're...you're fighting...over _her_?" her voice was a mix of shock and pain. " _Aurora_ , is the reason our home is destroyed?"

"Maleny, you misunderstood," Klaus began but she cut him off sharply.

"Really? So, you didn't bite your brother because of the demon woman?" she asked but didn't wait for him to answer. "You didn't break tables and…" she walked past them to the barroom, "...the bar over _her_!?"

"No," Klaus shook his head, but Maleny scoffed loudly and turned back to the two.

Maleny's eyes flickered to Elijah, her voice low yet dangerously full of growing rage. "Elijah, you tell me what happened. Tell. Me. Now."

Elijah exchanged a look with Klaus before answering, figuring she would one way or another find out. "Before leaving the De Martel castle, I compelled Aurora to 'see Klaus as the monster he was' and thus break his heart in retaliation for him killing Esther."

A visible hurt settled over Maleny's face as she processed the answer and viewed the state of the courtyard. "So...you _did_...fight over her." She bitterly chuckled. "Because she _broke_ your heart."

"That's not what it is," Klaus shoved Elijah back and moved for Maleny.

Maleny's eyes teared up. "You said you would handle it. Is this what you meant? That you'd create this chivalrous fight in her honor?"

"You are not listening!" Klaus shouted in frustration.

"I AM!" Maleny screamed right back. "I may have drank but I know what the hell is going on!"

"I am not angry because of her, I am angry because-"

"Because Elijah compelled the woman you loved to break your heart," Maleny pushed past him. "Look me in the eye," she turned to him, forcing him to face her, "and tell me you're not remotely fighting for what you could have had with her. Look. Me. In. The. Eye."

Klaus did as told but at the last moment he found his eyes flickering away. Maleny visibly shook soon after, swallowing roughly. "Elijah, leave us."

"Maleny, perhaps-"

"LEAVE US!" Maleny screamed suddenly, and with no option Elijah sped away. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, hm. She did occupy your heart perhaps as much as I did before. And I honestly don't care if you fell in love with her in the past...because, Maleny Rowan was dead for you - I was the past and I was meant to stay in the past." Maleny shakily breathed in and stepped closer to him. "But now? You have her here, and I do not plan on fighting with a lunatic, murderous vampire. That is a fight I cannot win."

"Aurora will not touch you, Maleny!" Klaus exclaimed, reaching to grab her arm but she stepped back. "And I can assure you my thoughts are in order. You are blowing it out of proportion."

Maleny raised an eyebrow, looking indignant. "You bit your own brother because of her, Klaus! How can you tell me that!? C'mon, she murdered her own cousin!"

"That's not important!"

"YES IT IS! It _so_ is!" Maleny knew she would probably regret it later but the words seemed to flow out of her mouth. "Because _I_ was Cecilia de Ark! _Me_! Me! Me!" she hit him on the chest repeatedly, her tears getting the best of her.

For a minute, Klaus let her hit him, his eyes wide with shock while he processed. He eventually grabbed her by the wrists, the same level of anger she displayed now working it's way into his eyes. " _You_ were Cecilia? The noblewoman Lucien was so fond of?"

Maleny took offense of the belittling of Lucien's feelings for her. If he could say Aurora loved him, why couldn't she say Lucien loved her as well? She tugged her hands from the grip on her wrists but Klaus refused to let go. "He loved me you idiot! And yes, I was her!"

"And _you_ loved _him_!" Klaus finished the story he knew so well. "You...you had chosen another one before I even arrived there."

Maleny swallowed hard as the anger subsided in his eyes for a minute to show the pain. "You fell for Aurora the minute you saw her," she spoke quietly, "You didn't even give me a chance."

"You knew this all along and you never told me!?"

"You never told me about Aurora either!"

"And you spent time with him!" Klaus began remembering all the little remarks of familiarity Lucien had made since meeting Maleny. His felt his insides twisting with fury, and jealousy. There was _dangerous_ jealousy at work.

Maleny watched now the fury reclaim its place and knew all danger now laid ahead for Lucien. "Don't you dare hurt him!" she warned, unknowingly provoking Klaus more.

"You defend him now?" he let her go but got closer to her face, narrowing his eyes at hers. "Why?"

"Because maybe I don't want to see someone die because they loved someone?" Maleny flapped her arms in frustration. "Because Lucien never did anything wrong except fall for someone he shouldn't have. Sound familiar?"

"Do not compare me with the stable boy!" Klaus roared, snatched her by the arm, gripping it tighter than what her humanity was able to withstand.

Maleny gasped. "You're hurting me! Klaus, let go!"

It finally registered he was actually hurting her and so Klaus released her instantly. He blinked, coming to the realization as Maleny checked her now red arm. It would be turning into a right painful bruise in about an hour or so.

But then something else registered in Klaus' mind. "You changed blouses…"

Maleny momentarily froze, alerting Klaus there was more in that area he needed to know about. "Why would you do that?"

Maleny coughed awkwardly. "I, um...I spilled salsa on my other blouse so I bought a new one. Problem?"

Klaus studied her suspiciously. "You're lying," he declared a mere minute afterwards.

"What? I'm not-"

"DO NOT LIE!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME!" Maleny had had it and pulled the same stunt he had. She got into his face and revealed the truth. "Much like you spent the afternoon with your ex, I spent it with mine."

Klaus' eyes widened for a minute before a snarl escaped through his lips. "You were with Lucien!?"

"And a friend," Maleny added. "He showed up, I thought why not? Don't tell me that was a problem because it would just be plain hypocrisy."

Unable to hold himself, Klaus sped her up against the wall besides the staircase. Maleny yelped at the pain she felt on her head from the smack of the wall.

"You're hurting me," she gasped, trying to form a glare but the pain she felt in the back of her head was more prominent. "Need I remind you I'm not as strong as _her_. I'm human, _mortal_ \- which is also because of _your_ indecision. _Your_ refusal. Do you know, Lucien was more than willing to turn me back then?"

"It would've been impossible," Klaus smirked, still keeping her locked between the wall and himself.

"But it was the mere _intention_ , the _willingness_ to do it," Maleny said quietly. "He loved me enough to see eternity as our future. You never saw that, even now...you don't want it. Because if not you would have turned me the moment we broke the curse."

"If Lucien is _so_ willing to do what you desire, then perhaps you should go to him," Klaus blurted, the pain and misunderstanding of her accusation clouding his mind.

Maleny froze after hearing his quiet, yet more painful than anything else said, words. "...maybe I will," she whispered. "And in the meantime you can go back to your Aurora, who so matches you in every way I could never."

Not wanting to seem so desperate and weak, Klaus nodded in agreement. "Maybe I shall. She did say she would wait for me…"

"Alright then," Maleny said, her voice barely audible even with supernatural hearing. She looked to the side and pushed Klaus' hands from her so she could step away. She walked only a couple steps before glancing back. "But when you're with her, remember that she killed me. Now I might not remember how it happened, but I'm sure you do. Remember how _she_ murdered the mother of your child and how she still managed to take you from me in the end. Against vampires, witches, werewolves, _humans_ will _always_ lose and I am sick and tired of this happening to me - the useless witch." And as the repressed anger cursed through her, she said her final words on a whim, "Don't be surprised if the next time you see me I have a dead heart in my chest and blood on my lips."

Klaus watched her take her leave, almost shaking from how furious he was. He roared yet again and punched the wall, smashing a large hole going deep in. He looked around at the mess created and suddenly he sped out.

It wasn't difficult to find Aurora, and when he did find her, he wasted no time in explaining. Her desires were completed - he'd gone for her.

~ 0 ~

"Today was...incredible, despite my mother's abrupt leave," Marlenie said, still very much in awe, as she headed for Lucien's door. "My mother _lives_...and she broke her curse."

"Yes, yes, incredible," Lucien rolled his eyes, really ignoring most of her words. "So, what happens next?" he curiously wondered.

Marlenie opened the door and turned around, looking thoughtful. "I...don't know. I came with the idea that I was searching just for my father. Now...I don't know how to approach them. I'm gonna have to sleep on it for tonight. Though I will wait until they make up."

"You're waiting the storm out," Lucien said in amusement.

Marlenie smirked. "I waited for centuries to see my parents. I can wait a little longer. I have to make arrangements so that I can stay in the Quarter, I should be back soon. I ask you take special care of my mother. She is still mortal, and that is a dangerous leverage the other sirelines have on my father. I'm trusting you and you should know I don't trust many people."

Lucien feigned a gasp of surprise. "Don't tell me that, mini-Klaus."

Marlenie rolled her eyes. "My mother always did say that it was so unusual for a girl to show so much...anger," she smiled to herself. "She said I was the true copy of my father. Now if you wanted someone a little more like my mother, you would have liked to meet my brother."

That one left Lucien gaping. " _Brother_? How many kids does Klaus have running around here?"

Marlenie sadly smiled, and because she had no clue of little Hope Mikaelson, she answered, "Just me. When I was a little girl my older, twin brother, Nicolas, was taken from me. I never saw him again. He's long dead now. So it's just me."

The pain in Marlenie's face was still raw, but she was more than resigned to her brother's fate. With a final look at Lucien, Marlenie walked out of the penthouse. Lucien closed the door and returned to the couch, for once able to honestly say he was beat. So when there was yet another knock on his door, he audibly groaned in annoyance. He assumed it was Marlenie coming back to reiterate something, probably about Maleny.

What did he look like? The official Mikaelson babysitter?

He opened the door and was about to snap at the woman he believed was on the other side...until he saw a teary-eyed Maleny instead. Before he said anything, she spoke up.

"Cecilia de Ark," her voice was scratchy and shaky from her tears, "That's why I'm familiar to you. I'm - I'm her. _I'm_ Cecilia." As was expected, Lucien stayed silent and wide eyes for a couple minutes. Maleny sniffed, awkwardly shifting on her spot. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you...but I'm her."

"What kind of awful joke is this?" Lucien soon recomposed himself and moved to shut the door on her when she rushed inside.

"I'm telling the truth!" she exclaimed and turned around. "I don't know if Klaus told you about my story. I was in this curse cycle that had me jumping bodies without a memory of who I was before. In one of those lives, I was Cecilia de Ark. I was her."

"Lies…" Lucien said again, although there was a trace of weakness in his voice now.

"If it were a lie would I know how she - I - convinced you to dance in my room without music? Or, how I always asked you to escape with me into the forest every afternoon? Or how about me making sure your father received food every day for as long as he lived?" Maleny paused as the realization hit Lucien. She knew she was dumping it all on him in a way she shouldn't be. "Or how about me telling you I love you for the first time at our spot…" she genuinely chuckled, "...near the stables? And you were so flustered you bumped face first into a horse?"

Lucien blinked rapidly as his heart hammered upon hearing memories only he had knowledge of. He slowly walked up to her, setting his hands on her arms. But as soon as he did Maleny hissed and jumped back. Her hand flung over the harsh red skin he hadn't taken notice of.

"I-it's fine, it wasn't you," Maleny sighed and sat down on the couch. "Klaus knows, and...he wasn't happy." She swallowed hard and sniffled. "In fact, I think he kicked me out."

Without really knowing what to do or say, Lucien sat down beside her. Maleny rubbed the back of her head and sheepishly looked at him. "I don't mean to be rude, but do you happen to have aspirin? Or something for the head?" Lucien narrowed his eyes, confused. Maleny cleared her throat and looked away. "I think it goes unsaid that Klaus and I got into an argument where he forgot I was human. Apparently, it's okay for him to have a past love but mine was immoral and betrayal. Well," she huffed.

Lucien reached out and gently turned her head with a finger under her chin. He bit into his wrist and held it towards her. Maleny looked at him a minute before taking his blood. The effects were instantaneous. She pulled away with a relieved smile, the sting on her arm and her headache vanishing.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Lucien reached with a thumb to clear off the dripping the blood from her lips. He locked eyes with her afterwards, and he deeply looked into them like he would find the confirmation he needed.

" _Cecilia_?" his unintentionally broke.

"Hello," she smiled softly.

The wonder-struck expression made its appearance on his face. He rested one hand over her cheek and leaned forwards. Maleny's breath hitched as soon as his lips met hers. Immediately she remembered dozens of their kisses from the past.

She found herself kissing back, rougher. He pushed her to down on the cushions and kissed her with more passion. All other thoughts that weren't of the moment evaded Maleny's mind.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Please, please, please don't kill me *hides under bed*. Do you guys know how much fun it is giving angst but at the same time so hard writing your characters angry with each other!? It's complex and strugglesome and please don't kill me :). When I first saw this season I was like, 'but what if I made Maleny do this and that?' and for some reason this was just the way I pictured it. But hooray! Marlenie is in! I've been so excited to finally bring her in and show who this woman is. As she's better introduced you'll see who she resembles in comparison to her brother - who I _promise_ you will come in as well.

On another note, I feel compelled to tell you that I finally finished the last chapter of this story and since I want to wait until the 4th season of the Oringals has aired either halfway or completely I technically won't be writing for Maleny for a while *sniffles*. I'll miss her for the meanwhile I'll tell you that. Buuuuuuuut I also feel compelled to inform you that I may or may not have already started another OC/Klaus story and I'm getting into it . I love her already and she's already so different from Mal. I would like to ask one question however, as that story is planned to begin in the Vampire Diaries and then transition into the Originals, and since I haven't watched TVD in a _very_ long time I've forgotten the jist of the kind of person Klaus was in there. Usually I get myself into some fanfics in the show I plan to write for before I actually start writing my own so I wanted to know if there's any completed/ongoing fanfics of OC/Klaus in that show you would recommend?

 _ **For Reviews:**_

Thank you so much! Lol, really? Well hats off to you then for figuring it out earlier xD! Again, thank you so much for your praise it really does mean a lot! Hope you liked the newest chapter (and if you'd like to shout at me for it I'll be under my bed hiding).

Ooooh you have no idea! I'm just going to tell you right now Marlenie's going to be making a scene in the next episode. I frikin love it! Like I said, I promise Nicolas is coming to the story!

There are plenty of lives Maleny has lived that we - and even _she_ \- doesn't know about, so yeah I thought why not give a little twist in her story. I mean, she loved Lucien in that time but now she has to think about (hopefully lol) about how she feels in the present time. Aw, no worries! I was a bit curious where you were but I mean you shouldn't read if you don't want to because then it just feels like a chore. Take your time, enjoy what you read, and everything usually falls back to normal :).

* * *

Next chapter we get a Thanksgiving dinner, Marlenie is back, and Mal is...oh dear... :)


	5. My Truth

_"Do you think anyone will realize we are not there?" Maleny trudged along beside Klaus in the forest of their village._

 _"They are all focused on their precious offerings to realize some people just wander off," Klaus responded with a tint of a smirk on the corner of his lips._

 _Maleny shot him a sharp look. "Oh, so am I just a person you wander off sometimes with?"_

 _"While I would love to argue with you I just do not think tonight is the night," Klaus cleverly said to evade a senseless argument._

 _It was nearing sunset and their plans involved a peaceful sunset together while their village celebrated their successful harvesting. With the help of Rebekah, the two made it out without being noticed._ _They made it to their usual place where they could sit comfortably over mushy grass besides various flowerbeds. There, they got comfortable and began to relish in their time together. They talked about their day and the work they had to put into an event neither was even at. As the sun began to finally lower, the air grew a bit colder without its light._

 _"Would you like to go back?" Klaus asked after catching her shivering at times._

 _"No," Maleny shook her head, declining almost instantly. "I want to stay here with you."_

 _Klaus secretly wanted to stay in their place for much longer. He honestly hated being around so many people in their village - he just wanted to be with Maleny. He reached for the blanket they had brought with them - along with various snacks to munch on while they were away - and draped it over Maleny's shoulders._

 _"Thank you," Maleny leaned forwards and kissed his cheek._

 _Klaus shifted to face her and promptly pulled her up to him, muffling her giggle with another kiss. Their 'fun' kisses began to turn slower and deeper. Maleny let the blanket over her shoulders drop back to the ground as she wrapped her arms around Klaus' neck. He moved down her neck and nipped, causing light gasps to escape through her lips. Maleny abruptly pulled away, revealing a new sort of desire that neither had yet to display. She leaned forwards, brushing her lips over his as if taunting him._

 _It worked._

 _Klaus wrapped an arm around her, tightly like he was making sure she was not going anywhere. Seeing her smirk, he captured her lips with his and kissed her like he had never kissed her before._

* * *

Wearing a towel wrapped around her body, Maleny emerged from the connected bathroom in Lucien's bedroom and hurried to close the bedroom door with lock. She was close to tears again and was just barely holding it in.

 _Stop it. Stop it. Stop it._ She silently berated her mind for playing the usual cruel games on her. _No more. Stop thinking. Stop it!_

She hurried to collect clothes that had been passed down from Lucien's old seer, Alexis, due to the fact she'd dropped in on Lucien unexpectedly. For two weeks she'd been stuck wearing the hand-me-downs. She pulled down a black blouse with open sleeves and a high neckline that hugged the upper half of her body. She accompanied it with regular dark jeans and some flats. As she moved back into the bathroom she tried her best not to think about _anything_ and _anyone_ while she brushed out her blonde hair.

 _Don't you dare, Maleny Rowan_. She put down her brush on the sink and gripped the edges of it, with eyes shut she forced herself to keep anymore thoughts away from her mind.

She knew she was being waited on in the living room.

~ 0 ~

When Maleny finally controlled herself she walked out the bedroom and headed for the living room. Almost immediately her scent had been picked up.

"And a very good morning to you, my lovely," Lucien walked towards Maleny as she emerged from the hallway. He'd been waiting for her to wake up and almost didn't stop himself from going to wake her up himself.

With a sheepish smile Maleny let him take her hands and pull her towards the living room. "Did I oversleep?" she mumbled as she took a look at the clock nearby. Nowadays, she couldn't fall asleep very easily, and thus when ever she did it made her sleep past noon.

"Just as well," Lucien took her to the kitchen counter. "I need you all rested for a task today."

Maleny pulled her hands from his when they went towards the kitchen. She took a seat at the small table while Lucien went for the counter where a plate of cut up fruits had been waiting. "So, does this mean I can finally go out?"

As much she hated to think about it, Lucien shared strikingly similar traits with Klaus. It made it harder to forget about the moody hybrid. And Maleny knew she needed to after what happened between the four. Maleny knew the moment she had gone to Lucien, Klaus had gone after Aurora, and well...the inevitable happened. Now that Lucien knew it all, he refused to let Maleny leave the apartment. Aurora was still out their, with Klaus' approval apparently, and Lucien was not going to risk the redheaded laying a finger on Maleny.

"Well, yes and no," Lucien replied and as he came by to set down the plate in front of her, now knowing it was her common breakfast meal.

Maleny eyed the plate for any lingering berries but found none. She hid her frown by picking up a strawberry and biting into it. "Explain right now, please."

Lucien nodded and began slowly. "Listen, I know you and your cousin have access to old witches objects somewhere in the Quarter and I need you to bring them here."

Maleny raised her eyebrows. "Excuse you. I've only been living here for two weeks and you want me to share with you my personal belongings? Lucien, I didn't even get to bring my toothbrush the first night."

Lucien chuckled. "They're not for me to keep, let me clarify. There is a weapon hidden amongst the dark objects that is said to be able to hurt the Original vampires and I want to retrieve it."

Maleny's eyes widened. "I will not help you hurt the Mikaelsons!"

For a minute a brief glimpse of jealousy flashed through Lucien's eyes but he played it off with a casual laugh. "No, no, Maleny. What good would it be to harm them? Now despite my differences with Nik, I can't see him dead or else I would perish as well."

"...then what are do you want to do with it?"

"Easy, my lovely, I wish to hand it over to Klaus," Lucien shrugged. "That way, I can maybe ease things between us and simultaneously protect him."

Maleny intently stared at him while silently replaying his explanation. She didn't want to see Klaus hurt, no matter what their status were. Lucien did sound honest, and it was very logical. Even if Lucien was still angry with Klaus, he couldn't kill the hybrid. Besides, Lucien did believe he had 'won the girl'. It was best to let him keep thinking that.

"Look, it's not as easy as you think," Maleny shifted in her chair to face her plate. She watched as Lucien went back to the fridge, knowing what he was going to take out. "Cami and I split them - she has her half at her place and I have my half at, well..."

"The compound," Lucien had thought about that detail before bringing the topic up with her but had really hoped he'd been wrong.

"Yes, and not just that, Cami's not gonna wanna give up her half either."

"I'm sure you could convince her," Lucien returned with a glass of blood in hand.

"Okay, and my things at the compound?" Maleny shook her head, looking up with genuine concerned. "I left everything but this-" she raised her golden necklace a bit, "-there. By this time Klaus probably burned it all."

"I'm sure he knows the value of witches objects. I can retrieve them," Lucien proposed but was shot down almost immediately by a tensed blonde.

"No! I don't...I don't want you getting into unnecessary problems," Maleny shook her head, "I'll just ask Amarrah to stop by and see what she can take out."

"Excellent," Lucien walked over and leaned down to kiss her. Maleny weakly kissed back until she tasted remnants of the blood he had drank from his glass. She pulled away and made a face, causing Lucien to chuckle. "Sorry, darling. Though we really wouldn't have this problem anymore if you would just take my blood already."

Maleny lightly smiled and reached for her almost-eaten strawberry to bite on and get rid of the metallic taste. Though she had made the threat to Klaus about this very idea, she was overly surprised to find Lucien actually offering her the thing she most wanted...at such an early phase of their 'relationship'. It hadn't been even a week before Lucien brought it up. It really made Maleny feel even worse knowing that despite having a thousand-old relationship with Klaus not once had he ever agreed to it. From the very beginning he outright sad 'no' and it broke Maleny's heart. She supposed it was just facts: Klaus hadn't loved her enough to turn her. Lucien apparently did.

"Maleny?" Lucien's voice pulled the woman from her thoughts.

She looked up to find him expectantly staring at her. "Hm?"

"We can leave in an hour for Cami's," Lucien repeated to her.

Maleny frowned. "I thought I was going on my own..."

"Not on your own, my lovely. Until that redheaded menace is dead or far, far away you cannot be left on your own outside of these walls."

Maleny sighed and grabbed another strawberry off her plate. "Cami won't be as trusting if I am with you, okay? And second of all, don't you think this overprotectiveness is, well...overprotective? I mean, Aurora doesn't even know how I look - she doesn't even know I exist!"

"Klaus has been keeping her at the compound for two weeks, do you honestly believe she hasn't seen even a glimpse of a picture of you? A portrait Klaus left lingering there?" Lucien's question made Maleny gulp. Truth be told, knowing that psychopath was still out there did make her fear a little bit. But she counted on the woman being distracted enough for her to go to Cami's and come back. "I know you feel like you're being smothered, but I don't want her to hurt you again."

"But she has no more need to," Maleny weakly argued back. "She's with Klaus, that's what she wanted, no?"

Lucien sighed, mildly frustrated. She was far more stubborn this time round than she was as Cecilia. With hands on her arms, he pulled her up from her chair and leaned closer to her to get his point across. "She killed you out of anger that wasn't even directed towards you, Maleny. She made…" he paused involuntarily, the pain far too raw even then to speak aloud, "...she killed you because of _her_ problems. She did it once, she can easily do it again. Only this time you don't come back."

Maleny bit her lip as she watched him grow quieter, distant with his thoughts. "Why won't you tell me how it happened?" she asked in a whisper. "I've been able to remember many, many things of that lifetime, but the ending...it's fuzzy. I guess it happened to fast I can't remember it. But I'd like to know, please?"

Lucien shook his head without a second thought. "Because it's completely unnecessary. Now, c'mon, finish eating so I can take you to Cami and leave you two to talk. But I shall stay in hearing distance in case anything goes wrong."

The sense of familiarity now cursed through Maleny's body as she dejectedly sat back down to continue eating. She didn't know whether to scream of frustration or sob of pain because of how similar Lucien and Klaus were. She left Klaus to go to...Klaus? Only this man wasn't Klaus. And the very thought made her shiver inside.

She learned in a day or so that she could not, for the life of her, ever again love someone else that wasn't Klaus.

~ 0 ~

Elijah repeatedly called for Klaus in the compound, frustrated with the lack of attention their family problems were getting lately. "Niklaus! Niklaus!" he made it to the middle of the courtyard before Klaus finally made an appearance.

"You shout loud enough to wake the dead," Klaus called from upstairs, standing at the rails.

Elijah rolled his eyes, in no mood to deal with his sarcasm. "Can't pick up your phone? Your sister is missing."

Over a day Rebekah had managed to be killed in her human body by the Strix in Morocco, wake up in her original body only to then disappear in that one as well.

Before Klaus could explain even a little of the actual truth behind Rebekah's disappearance, Aurora appeared beside him...and she wore nothing but one of Klaus' button-down shirts. The sight of her almost made Elijah gag. He had to congratulate himself for being able to withstand her presence in his home for the past two weeks. He took it as a punishment for his betrayal in the past. But enough was enough, he despised the redheaded that squirmed her way into his home, attempting to replace the blonde witch that had rightfully earned her place in the family.

And, in simple terms, Elijah loved Maleny liked a sister.

He despised Aurora with every fiber of his being.

"Well... She's not exactly missing," Aurora began with an eerie cheerfulness in her tone. "And, as long as everyone behaves themselves, you can trust me to tell you where she is."

Elijah's eyes widened in terror, realizing Aurora had somehow gained his sister's neutralized body. "Give me my sister. Or perhaps I can pay a little visit to your brother, Tristan."

Klaus sighed, not in the mood for another round between the two. Nowadays his patience for anything was gone. "Elijah, please. Aurora and I have come to an agreement as you have seen."

"Unfortunately," Elijah muttered under his breath, uncaring that the two could hear him perfectly.

Aurora glared at him up until Klaus spoke to her. "Go on, love. I need to have a word with my brother."

Aurora immediately smiled and turned to him, nuzzling her nose to his neck before taking a leave. The two brothers then retreated to the upstairs study room to discuss Rebekah's disappearance.

"How can you still have the she-demon around when she has our sister God knows where?" Elijah angrily demanded of his brother. "This is madness!"

Klaus had gone straight to the bar where he poured himself a drink. "You see madness, I see method!"

"For _two weeks_?" Elijah frantically flapped a hand. "Tell me, is this completely business or are you trying to prove a point to a certain blonde?"

"Shut your mouth about things that just don't concern you," Klaus turned back to him with a deep scowl across his face.

"They concern me, they concern Freya, anyone who lives in this house," Elijah snapped. "You brought in that devil woman just to spite Maleny, who hasn't even been out on the streets anymore. None of us know where she is, so you might as well give up this little charade you have going on here."

"Mm, I agree with that 100%," came the French accented voice either brother hadn't heard in quite a while. Amarrah was standing at the doorway, none too pleased.

"Amarrah," Elijah turned around, startled by her presence. Klaus rolled his eyes, intending on ignoring her till she left.

"Hi, Elijah," Amarrah greeted somewhat kindly. "I didn't mean to intrude…" she glanced at Klaus who pretended on being more interested in his drink, "...but I came on business matters."

"Something with Maleny, I assume?" Elijah asked.

"Mhm," Amarrah nodded. "She's with Cami right now and she wants some of her things back."

"Oooh," Aurora then appeared behind Amarrah, once again employing that oh-so-fake cheeriness. "Does this mean I finally get to see that locked room?"

Amarrah purposely snickered and moved towards Elijah. "Ah, so you're keeping her room locked up again?" she cast a smirk towards Klaus. "Didn't you do that when you thought she could've been dead? What was it? Oh, right, a way to hold onto her…" and then she purposely glanced back at the redheaded vampire, smirking wider when Aurora's cheeriness was wiped off her face.

"If she wanted her things, she could've always came by," Klaus casually said to Amarrah. "There was never going to be a problem."

Amarrah loudly scoffed. "You want my friend to step inside the house where her murderer's living? That's sick even for _you_."

"Murderer?" Aurora tilted her head, for once being honest with her expressions. She had yet to learn about this 'Maleny' and much less of her story. "Why, I've killed my share of people but...I think I would remember doing that one."

"Ooh, I get it," Amarrah looked between her and Klaus, "You don't know about her yet. Oh that should be good to listen to but I've got to get going on account that I can't spend another minute in your foul presence."

Aurora pretended to pout as she stepped towards Amarrah. Slightly nervous, Elijah moved closer to Amarrah, fearing Aurora would snap. Even Klaus had finally looked up from his drink and tensed up.

"It's funny, I should expect treatment like that from Elijah, or this Maleny, but not from you," Aurora addressed Amarrah, a delusive smile spreading across her face. "Why, I've done nothing to you. If anything, we could even become friends."

Amarrah stared at the redhead, unimpressed. "I heard you were delirious but it's nothing compared to the live show."

Aurora gaped, completely offended.

"Why don't we go retrieve what you needed for Maleny?" Elijah offered instead, motioning Amarrah to walk.

"Fine," Amarrah agreed easily but glanced at Klaus, disappointedly staring. "I can't believe you traded in my beautiful, _sane_ friend for the very person that murdered her."

As she left with Elijah, Klaus turned back for the bar, trying to hide the sting Amarrah's words caused. He hated that Maleny's last words still clung to him at every moment of the day. No matter how beautiful and...passionate Aurora was, every time Klaus even glanced at her he saw the cold murderer who killed his - no, not _his_ anymore - Maleny.

And then came Maleny's final warning.

The mere thought of finding her as a vampire had him tersed and apprehensive. To see her sinking her fangs on someone, for food or mere pleasure, made his insides twist. And now with the threat - that could also involve Lucien being the one to turn her - had him on edge almost all the time.

~ 0 ~

Amarrah deeply sighed as she picked up Maleny's mother's spellbook from a drawer inside Maleny's room. "It's so ridiculous, really, how the two are fighting like children."

Elijah, who was helping her take out more of Maleny's witch possessions, sighed alongside with her. "The two match each other with their stubborness."

"I literally cannot stand the fact Maleny is living with Lucien," Amarrah growled. "You know, I still think he's responsible for the murders in the Quarter. I can't believe she's actually choosing to stay with him. And it just pisses me off that she's doing it to spite Klaus."

"Children," Elijah repeated with a low chuckle.

"Do something, Elijah," Amarrah stopped to turn in his direction. "I can't go to Maleny and force her to leave, but you can help."

"How so?"

"You have suspicions that Tristan and Lucien are working together, right? And clearly Aurora is going to protect her brother at all costs. That makes three against you - you have to break that significant advantage."

"Do you have an idea?" Elijah curiously asked. "Because I am fresh out at the moment and Klaus doesn't seem to be with me right now."

Amarrah smirked. "Play nice," she surprisingly answered, confusing Elijah. "It's Thanksgiving. Invite them for a friendly meal and systematically turn them against one another…"

Elijah began nodding with understanding, "...and then devastate their pitiful alliance!"

"Ooh, see, I can be an evil genius too," Amarrah crossed her arms. "You turn them against each other and Maleny will no longer be safe with someone who has to fight against the Mikaelsons and the de Martels'. And you know, Klaus, he'll just go running to protect her."

"Far-fetched…"

"Not in the soap-operas," Amarrah shrugged, giving him a wide grin. "I've been getting more into them. But I'm serious about this. Do something, because I can't sleep knowing Maleny is not safe."

Elijah nodded, vowing to put her plan into action.

~ 0 ~

"You must be out of your frikin mind, Maleny Rowan," Cami furiously stared at her cousin in repulse and confusion. "How can you be living with that guy? And…" she shivered, "... _being_ with that guy…?"

Maleny was silently staring at the blonde, almost seeming as if she wasn't listening. They were at Cami's place, and while Cami had scolded her for a good ten minutes, Maleny was yet to make a response. Eventually, she came out with, "Please don't judge me, Cami," her frail voice pleaded. "You, out of all people, know what it's like getting your heart broken by a Mikaelson."

"Yes! But you don't see me sleeping with the first guy I come across with!" Cami blurted and instantly earned a teary-eyed glare.

"He was someone I loved in the past," Maleny quietly corrected. "And it happened while I wasn't in my full senses, alright?"

"And the two weeks after that night? Were they...foggy too?" Cami raised an eyebrow.

"No…"

Cami shook her head, deeply sighing and letting her anger subside for a minute. "Mal, I love you, so please just tell me what the hell you're striving for here? Amarrah says you're just staying with Lucien to anger Klaus."

Maleny rubbed her neck, swallowing hard with guilt. "In the beginning, yeah, I was. And I know that's what he's doing with Aurora too. But afterwards, I don't...I don't know. Honestly, I don't know what I'm doing. I went to Lucien because he needed to know who I was - that I was still alive. And, maybe I was trying to make myself love him like I once did. But I discovered shortly afterwards I no longer can."

Cami softened up and walked up to her cousin. "So why are you still there?"

Maleny looked away, looking like a confused child as she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. He treats me kindly, Cami. Just like he used when I was Cecilia. He loves me, like, he actually still loves me, and I...I don't want to hurt him either."

"Ooh," Cami soon put in the puzzle pieces. "You haven't left him out of guilt." At the accusation, Maleny turned for the doors. But that didn't stop Cami from continuing. "You broke his heart the first time when you died, and now you don't want to do it again by leaving him."

Maleny stopped just in front of the door, one hand on the doorknob. "I made a mistake, and now I'm paying the consequences. I don't want to hurt him like I've been hurt."

"Well you can't stay with him forever," Cami warned. "Sooner or later you're going to have to tell him."

"I pick later," Maleny mumbled and opened the door to leave. She had gotten the key from Cami anyways so she was more than ready to get out of there.

~ 0 ~

Davina walked up the stairs to the balcony of St. Ann's church where Marcel was waiting for her. She had been called earlier under the ruse there was something important and dangerous involving her. "So," she began, "what's the problem?"

"The problem is that there's a new group of vampires in town," Marcel sighed and turned to her.

Davina remained at ease, already in the knowledge. "The Strix, yeah. The Ancestors gave me a heads up. I also know Cami joined them."

Marcel rolled his eyes at her lack of seriousness. "Did the Ancestors also give you a heads-up the Strix and Lucien Castle are searching for a weapon against the Originals that they will ultimately come to force _you_ to activate for them?"

Davina gulped and cleared her throat. "N-no…"

"I figured. The Strix want you to help them take down the Mikaelsons. Now, if you say no, they will kill you. If you say yes, Klaus will do something much worse. Please, D. Let me help you get out of town."

The idea sent Davina into a loud scoff. "I'm not going anywhere! Marcel, you still see me as this little girl in the attic. I'm not that girl anymore. I don't run from anyone. They want me to activate some weapon, good luck to them."

Marcel worriedly watched her leave. He wasn't going to let the Strix hurt her or manipulate her.

~ 0 ~

Lucien's apartment was now filled with the O'Connell's boxes of dark objects that were to be searched by Maleny in just a couple minutes. Amarrah assured she and Vincent were bringing her half later that day. However, instead of getting to search, the blonde took to staring out the window to an ongoing Thanksgiving festival. Apparently, 'Thanksgiving' was meant to be a holiday for the family where they would gather around and have a nice dinner while just relishing in the fact they were together.

Oh, her heart tugged at her.

"I promise you can go out soon," she heard Lucien behind, making her look away from the festival.

She frowned in confusion at his change of clothes and the jacket he held in an arm. He was dressed very fancily. "I'm sorry, are you going somewhere... _without_ me?"

Lucien chuckled, leaving his dark jacket draped over the couch to walk towards her. "I have been unexpectedly invited to dine with the Mikaelsons."

That made Maleny nervous. "And you're actually going? Are you out of your mind?"

"Everything will be fine, my lovely," Lucien diswayed her concerns with a peck on the lips. "I would ask if you wanted to accompany me, but…"

Maleny quickly shook her head, quickly walking away from him. Her stomach hurt just by thinking of the idea of facing any Mikaelson. "No. I don't...I don't think I'm ready for that."

"And it's fine," Lucien came after her, gently turning her to him. "You stay here and search for the weapon. I've described it perfectly enough for you to be able to find it."

"Okay," Maleny sighed.

Lucien raised her gaze upwards, smiling softly at her. "I promise you afterwards, I will give you a proper Thanksgiving dinner."

"I don't need one," Maleny gave a half-smile.

"But it's your first time, so it's a final decision," Lucien bopped her on the nose. "I'll be back later for our own dinner," he kissed her, grabbed his hacket and left the place.

Maleny plopped herself on the couch and rubbed her face, feeling so overwhelmed and...lonely. By the time she lowered her hands from her face she was in tears. And with no one to reprimand her, or judge, she cried freely.

~ 0 ~

The courtyard of the compound had been decorated in all Thanksgiving manners. There had been a long table set up at the center consisting of various traditional meals. Being the first to arrive, Lucien had helped himself to a nice glass of bourbon from the refurbished bar. When he saw Tristan coming in, he sarcastically greeted the man.

"Aw, flowers for me? You shouldn't have!"

Tristan rolled his eyes and placed down the pot of flowers he had brought on the end of the bar counter. "They're for the lady of the house. The well-mannered bring a gift when invited to dinner. I assume you brought nothing?"

Lucien feigned innocence as he popped a berry into his mouth. "I would have, but the refined lady of the house is already with me."

At that moment, Klaus walked into the room, none too pleased with that remark. He had to physically drown the urge to strangle Lucien. "Nice of you to join us," came out of his mouth instead.

"I must say I was surprised to be invited," Lucien replied back with as much fakery as he was greeted with. "Seeing as, well…" he cleared his throat and motioned to the berries beside him with a snide smirk.

The deepl scowl settling across Klaus' face was more amusing to Lucien, which then only angered Klaus more. Thankfully, Elijah arrived then and took away some of the tension.

"Are we all getting along?" he looked between the trio of men.

"Mmm, like a fuse and a match," Lucien mumbled under his breath.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Aurora chirped as she made a fashionable entrance in a velvet dress with large, puffy sleeves. "Just freshening up. I did want to look pretty." Upon seeing Lucien she lightly gasped. "Well, well. If it isn't my old friend Lucien."

"Mm, you say 'friend' I say 'despicable woman who really should be at the bottom of a lake'," Lucien grabbed his drink and took a long gulp down.

Elijah, trying to swallow his laughter from Aurora's offended face, spoke up. "Welcome to our home! I do wish it was under better circumstances. We all face a common threat- a prophecy warning that my siblings and I would all fall within a year. I fear my sister already has."

"Only as a precautionary measure, I assure you," Tristan tried to say, earning disapproving looks from everyone.

"Interesting. You see, I would have called it an entirely unnecessary measure. We need to unite to prevent the prophecy from coming to pass. And, since any alliance is impossible without honesty. Let us begin this evening's proceedings by formally acknowledging your clandestine alliance."

Stunned they knew, Tristan and Lucien exchanged glances. Lucien coughed nervously. "Now gentlemen, before-"

"Shh, shh, shh, shh. Lucien, please," Elijah cut him off patronizingly. "Let's not ruin the dinner before it begins."

"And, do try to bear in mind, we expect and honest and productive negotiation this evening," added Klaus as they started for the table.

"Shall we begin?" Elijah cast a smirk at the two sires as they took their seats.

~ 0 ~

Maleny was sifting through the boxes in Lucien's apartment, more than bored on her own, when someone knocked on the doors. A little nervous, she stayed quiet and looked at the doors, debating whether or not she should answer. If it had been Lucien, he would've just strode in. So, who would be knocking?

"Lucien, you better open this door right now!" she heard Marlenie's voice on the other side irritably ordering. Maleny relaxed and hurried to go answer. When she did, she gave Marlenie the surprise of her life. "Mo - Maleny!?" she almost said the wrong word in her confusion.

"Marly!" Maleny happily greeted with a hug. "Oh, I've actually missed you!"

Although taken aback by her presence, Marlenie gave into the hug. "I've missed you too," she honestly replied.

Maleny pulled away with a smile and led the black-haired woman into the apartment. "Where have you been? It's been two weeks since I've seen you."

"U-um...I had things to take care of..." Marlenie took notice of all the boxes in the living room. "What exactly is going on here? You don't live here," she looked at Maleny curiously. "And these look like dark objects."

"It's been...a complicated time," Maleny sighed. "Things happened while you were gone. But right now, I'm sort of looking for something Lucien needs."

"That wouldn't happen to be a weapon against the Originals, would it?" Marlenie had been talking with Xavier, her trusted warlock, who informed her of the mysterious - almost mythical - weapon that was said to be able to kill an Original. Needless to say, Marlenie had grown very worried one of the opposing sire lines would find it.

"Yes, but don't worry, I don't intend on handing it over just like that," Maleny wagged a finger, "N-n-n-no. I didn't live with Klaus for centuries to be so naive."

"Speaking of living…" Marlenie put her hands behind her back and looked around the room, "...shouldn't you...I don't know...be with him right now? Cos that's where you live, don't you?"

Maleny's smile faded and she turned to a box, pretending to sift through it. "Not anymore…" she said quietly.

Marlenie's heart skipped a beat, and stepped towards Maleny. "Wh-what do you mean not anymore?"

"It's a long story, Marly. I don't think you're interested in that."

"No, no, I am. I have to wait for Lucien, so...let's talk," Marlenie discreetly suggested. "I want to know what happened."

Maleny glanced back, seeing Marlenie as a possible unbiased judge. She felt she could really use that. "You can't tell Lucien, though. Nor Klaus for that matter. If either knew they would be angry with each other and the last thing I want is for a fight to the death because of me."

Marlenie became more worried than before. Why was her mother saying those words? What could her father and Lucien have to fight over Maleny?

"I will not say a word to anyone if you don't want me to," Marlenie nodded.

Maleny sighed of relief and continued looking through the boxes. "It's all so difficult, really. And it's my fault. Although…" she bitterly added, "...Klaus can take a fair share of the fault."

"Why?" Marlenie softly asked.

"Because," Maleny stopped momentarily, "When he fought against his brother over a problem, he not only fought for himself...he fought for _her_."

Marlenie didn't have to see her mother's face to know she was in near tears, and despondent. "And who is this her?" Marlenie asked, her voice nearing that territorial tone she often did in business.

"An important 'her', a past love - well," Maleny shook her head and continued going through the box, "A current love, I should say, considering he has her living in _our_ home."

Marlenie looked angry herself for a minute, but quickly pushed it away before Maleny saw. "Why would he do that?"

"Because I told him to," Maleny sniffed. "Right after he told me I should be with Lucien."

Marlenie scratched her head, unable to put pieces together yet. "Why...why would you both say that to each other? I don't...I don't understand."

"Because we were angry with each other, and neither of us wanted to look weak in front of the other." Maleny turned around to the woman. "See, I was in this curse cycle. I jumped bodies after being sacrificed by crazy witches and when I jumped bodies I never remembered who I really was. All I did was meet Klaus, fall in love with him, and then be sacrificed. Well, it turns out that in one of those lifetimes I _didn't_ fall in love with him - I loved Lucien. And in that same lifetime, Klaus loved another, Aurora. See, _my_ love for Lucien was betrayal. It was immoral. But his love for Aurora," she scrunched her face in anger, "I was just supposed to forget and move on from. And I would have done that if he hadn't made my love for Lucien look like a betrayal. So do you see why I am _here_ instead!?" she opened her arms to gesture to the room. "Because I betrayed the man I loved and I wanted to fool myself into thinking I could love Lucien again. But do you know what?" she bitterly laughed, but the tears in her eyes were beginning to fall down her cheeks. "I was completely wrong! I can't, I can't, I can't-" she repeatedly tapped her head, "-get that stupid, moody, devilish hybrid out of my head. Because he's _mine_ , and it makes my stomach twist that there's this other woman kissing him. _I_ should be the only one kissing him. _Me_. And no one else."

After all that, Marlenie could only stare and blink at Maleny, wondering if the venting had helped or not. Slowly Maleny realized all she had said and sniffled more and more until she burst into sobs. Marlenie could not take seeing her mother like this and went to hug her tightly. It didn't matter if Maleny didn't know she was her daughter - Marlenie intended on protecting her and loving her like she deserved.

~ 0 ~

Now that everyone was properly say down at the Thanksgiving dinner table, things would really start up.

"It's a bit odd, isn't it? Celebrating an American holiday?" Lucien asked while scouring the table with minimal interest.

"Well, you know, Lucien, I rather enjoy Thanksgiving," from one end of the table, Elijah responded with sarcasm. "The turkey, the cranberry sauce... the lies, the deceit, the betrayal... Perhaps we should begin this evening's proceedings with a little confession? And do help yourselves."

Aurora pouted, feigning disappointnent, as she glanced towards Klaus who sat on the other end of the table. "So, this entire dinner is meant to be some boorish inquisition? How rude."

It was Klaus' turn to pretend, and his was a choice of a smile. "Nonsense, love! My brother merely wishes to make certain we're all on the same page. So, who would like to begin?"

Seeing no one was going to speak up, Tristan was the one to answer. "Well, Lucien and I have always loathed each other," he exchanged a look with Lucien opposite of hin. "Had we arrived as allies with a bleak future, you would have doubted us. We sought to remove suspicion by maintaining appearances."

"Oh, my dear. These pathetic lies promise to be as difficult to swallow as your stuffing this year, Niklaus," Elijah rolled his eyes. "Walnuts, honestly."

"The bottom line is, we came to protect you ourselves," Lucien looked between the two brothers. "We have never wavered on this point."

"And the bodies on my streets- is that your protection as well?" Klaus frowned, mumbling afterwards, "Among other things that were stolen…"

Lucien didn't attempt to hide his triumphant smirk as he picked up his glass. "It's business as usual for The Strix. And, well, I could not steal what you had already given up, don't you think?"

The two traded death glares until Tristan cut in with an explanation for the first accusation. "An old tactic, used often and to great success. Jack the Ripper, Son of Sam... A frightened human populace is that much easier to control. If tourism should decline, and the local vampires are deprived of fresh blood? Well, you saw how quickly Camille joined our ranks."

"You lured her in!" Elijah angrily spat.

Klaus rolled his eyes at the unneeded argument. "Pedestrian. I would've expected more from such gaudy theatrics. Although both of you," he pointed between Lucien and Tristan, "should know we have knowledge of the medallion you're trying to find."

And in true, both opposing sireline vampires became alarmed.

"I suppose it was my sister who shared that bit of information?" Tristan turned his head to his sister beside him, none too pleased with her slip.

"Don't blame Aurora - you two are hardly conspiratorial geniuses," Klaus cut in to defend the redhead, earning a gracious smile of her afterwards.

~ 0 ~

Marlenie came to sit down in an armchair across Maleny, handing the blonde a bourbon drink. "You feeling better?" she gently asked.

Maleny's crying had stopped, but her face was yet to dry from all the tears. She nodded and took the glass, taking a large drink down before speaking. "Redundant question, don't you think? None of this will ever be okay."

"You could always try to talk to Klaus," Marlenie barely got the suggestion out before Maleny laughed.

"If you knew him, you would know talking is never an option. I said some things I never thought I'd say…"

"Like what…?" Marlenie fearfully asked.

"Um…" Maleny sighed, leaning against the couch cushion, "...something along the lines of a warning. He should expect to see me as a vampire the next time we meet...if we're to meet."

"You threatened you would be turned," Marlenie said slowly, "And, assuming by Lucien."

"I thought it should sting more," Maleny remarked and took another drink.

Marlenie frowned, but her curiosity won out her annoyance. "Why exactly haven't been turned? I mean, you say you've been living for a thousand centuries but now you're human and mortal. You're aging. Why hasn't this happened already?"

The mere thought disappointed Maleny more than anything else. "I don't know. I've been asking and asking since I was just a village girl, but every time I did Klaus would say 'no' followed by some crappie excuse. Point is, he would never do it."

Marlenie scowled with deep irritation for her father. "It's so stupid!" she jumped up from her chair. "By logic, you should have been turned centuries ago."

Maleny languidly swayed her head against the cushion, her eyes trailing the patternless ceiling. "Lucien has already offered me what I want." The new information made Marlenie turn on the blonde, her eyebrows knitting together. Maleny continued on, her gaze somewhere else and so oblivious to Marlenie's anger. "He sees no point in waiting another moment to turn me."

"But he's not the one you love!" Marlenie argued.

"And yet, in my darkest moment, Lucien consoled me…" Maleny said on, taking a sip from her glass. "He's made me see several truths."

Marlenie scoffed under her breath, her hands on her hips. "Like what?"

"Perhaps the reason Klaus never wanted to turn me was because eternity was never an interest for him," Maleny said the words with such hopelessness and resignation Marlenie felt her heart break. "A witch and a hybrid? Hm. As if."

"But you haven't taken Lucien's blood," Marlenie pointed out, refusing to believe it was simply over between her parents. "And if you haven't, then it means that some part of you still clings to my fa - Klaus, right?"

Maleny's eyes returned to the woman, once more filling with tears. "What's the point? Nothing is going to fix this. You know, we had a son together, way in the past-" Marlenie froze on her spot, "-and he's alive, miraculously, and we were waiting for him to return home to us. But even that didn't matter in the end. Nicolas will come home to a divided family."

For a while, Marlenie remained shocked and silent. She had always believed her brother was dead and that her parents would never remember them. She was certainly getting more than she ever thought was possible. A mix of relief, happiness and still anger flashed across her face. She looked around, finding her purse on the table, and snatched it up.

"Where are you going?" Maleny asked when the vampire woman strode for the door.

"I'm gonna go fix this," Marlenie declared and turned sideways. "And you're gonna tell me where Lucien is right now."

Maleny got up from the couch, confused. "Why are _you_ so mad about this?"

"Because you are being played," Marlenie snapped, furious beyond belief. "You are going to tell me where I can find Lucien-"

"Why? Marly there's no point-"

"If you believe that-" Marlenie spoke over her mother, "-then you wouldn't be crying so much. So do us both the favor and come to terms with it. You love who you love and it's not Lucien. Tell me where he is!"

Maleny blinked at the harsh words that rang so much truth. Marlenie waited expectantly for the information she was going to get one way or another. Maleny looked away, indecisive.

~ 0 ~

"Hand over this supposed medallion before we lose patience," Elijah ordered, surprisingly able to stay sitting down so calmly. "The idea a medallion could lock us away hardly seems like a wise strategy for those come to protect us. Oh, and release Rebekah."

"Uh, just a tick- Aurora has Rebekah, hmm?" Lucien flashed a smirk across the table to Aurora, who responded with offense.

"No reason why I shouldn't be trusted with my sire's safety."

"Of course... unless you were to have one of your episodes," Lucien said back innocently.

"Easy, Lucien," Tristan cut in. "My sister sought leverage to protect herself. Who among us would do otherwise?"

Elijah boredly looked at Klaus. "Niklaus, will you politely remind me why we shouldn't just compel them all to give us what we want?"

And suddenly, Aurora burst into laughter. "I'm sorry, did Elijah say something amusing?" Klaus asked her not very amused.

Aurora sobered up and looked at him politely. "We lost a century to compulsion, my love. And some of us lost a great deal more. Surely you can't believe we'd allow ourselves to come here vulnerable?"

Elijah rolled his eyes. "My dearest Aurora, compulsion is not my only party trick."

Aurora's politeness vanished as she turned on her chair to meet the suited Original's look. "I do not like these threats."

Tristan cleared his throat and cut into the conversation. "Our continued existence depends on the Mikaelsons. We've known that since Finn and Kol died. Unfortunately, so does every other vampire in the world. Given that the sirelines have declared war against one another, you can imagine how many young upstarts have come to the same conclusion - kill an Original, wipe out an entire line of rivals. Heavy burden, isn't it? The lives of thousands of sired vampires resting on your shoulders? In a perfect world, you'd allow us to seal you away forever, thus eliminating the threat."

At the insinuation, Tristan earned him threatening glares from the two Originals. "Fortunately, the world is far from perfect," Klaus sarcastically informed, thus eliminating any possibility of agreement to the silly deal.

However, there came a loud roar from the entrance that put everyone under confusion for the first couple of seconds.

"LUCIEN!" Marlenie came walking in madly, eyes laying over the called man like a hawk. "I'm going to kill you!" she declared in the same loud roar she used before. She sped around the table and snatched Lucien from his chair, pinning him against the table.

"What in the hell are you doing!?" Lucien demanded before turning the tables and pinning her against the wall.

Marlenie growled as she fought against his grip, refusing to give up. "You bastard! You took advantage of my mother!"

Everyone at the table exchanged glances of mutual confusion and of innocence. It appeared Lucien had problems of his own outside the sireline war.

Marlenie loudly growled again as she finally pushed Lucien to the side then kicked him backwards. She sped up to the table and swiped off several of the knives to throw them Lucien's way. She had very good aim as the other vampire barely managed to dodge them...until one of them cut through his shoulder. Marlenie slammed a fist on the table and grabbed one full chair to throw wrecklessly at Lucien next. Missing, she sped to the nearst chair and broke it apart to create a makeshift stake

Although shocked of the spectacle, Elijah was able to break through. "Niklaus, stop her!"

Marlenie had only pulled back the stake to take aim for Lucien when Elijah called out. She froze and looked back at the table, uttering a frail, "What?" before Klaus sped out of his chair and pushed her against a wall.

Klaus snatched the stake from her and chucked it aside. "Lucien, why is this stranger ruining this oh-so-grand dinner?" he sarcastically looked at the other vampire with annoyance. "While I am impressed with her tactics she's cutting into our conversation."

Lucien grumbled as he got back on his feet, sending glares towards Marlenie. But she was much more preoccupied staring at Klaus in front of her. "I've no idea - she's lost her mind."

That answer snapped Marlenie out of her stupor. She fiercely fought against Klaus, forgetting who he was for a second in favor of killing the other vampire. "You!" she shouted at him. "This is all on _you_! You took advantage of my mother when she was in need of a _friend_!"

Lucien rolled his eyes, uncaring what he set loose anymore. If she came here it meant she didn't care of faking identities anymore. And if it didn't, he didn't care anyways. "Your 'mother' made her own decisions. Don't get angry with me because she disappointed you with her decision and ruined your family fantasy."

Marlenie furiously lunged towards him but Klaus yanked her right back to the wall, fiercely keeping her locked. "You sadistic bastard! You brainwashed her! You twisted her thoughts!"

"Enough!" Klaus shouted but was outmatched by Marlenie's.

"YOU SHOULD BE FURIOUS WITH HIM TOO!" she screamed and pushed her hair out of her face to peer around him and see the dinner table. "Instead of doing this stupid dinner with people you so obviously want to kill, you should be killing him for what he's done to my mother!"

"And why would I care what he does to 'your mother'?" Klaus scoffed and stepped back from her. Marlenie went silent, looking down with indecision.

Lucien smirked as he neared the table again, far calmer than before. "Well, go on, then," he called to her. "Go on and tell them - tell them all. You already ruined your own 'long awaited reunion'," he rolled his eyes, "so why not just blurt it out?"

Marlenie looked back with a brand new, fueled up, rage. "I can't believe I asked you to take care of her. I never trust and when I chose to do it, you betrayed me. You took in my mother and you…" she crinkled her nose in disgust.

Elijah had been studying the new visitor with great intent, slowly reeling in the small clues. The _impressive tactics_? The ferocity, the booming shout...even the downright fighting. "Klaus, have you not made the connections?"

"I'm in the middle of something, Elijah," Klaus rolled his eyes. "I'd like to get back to dinner, Lucien, so get your friend out."

"Niklaus!" Elijah exclaimed loudly, making his brother finally turn in his direction. "She said ' _mother_ '," Elijah spoke quieter, "And just who do you suspect has been with Lucien for the past two weeks?"

The reaction on Klaus' face came almost instantaneously, and with an aura of shock he slowly looked back at Marlenie. "Maleny?"

Marlenie could not take the wide smirk Lucien had on for her, feeling as if he'd won by taking her grand moment away from her. She would not give him that satisfaction. She would fight for her mother _and_ finally meet her family like she always dreamed of. She sucked in a breath and turned to the two Originals with a wide grin. "Well, I can honestly say this was not how I wanted to meet you but I shall make do with what I have."

"This has turned rather boring," Aurora boredly reached for her glass beside her plate. "Can't we just pull her little heart out and move on?"

Marlenie clicked her tongue and turned to the table, specifically the redhead. "Excuse me, I'm talking, so do me a favor and close your yap before I close it for you."

Aurora gaped and looked over to Klaus expectantly. "Well, get on with it: kill her."

"Oh please," Marlenie had herself a nice laugh. 'He's not going to hurt me. But he will hurt…" she languidly pointed from Aurora, to Tristan, and finally to Lucien, "...you," she smiled, "After I tell him how you have my mother searching for the stupid medallion you three need to lock away this family."

"You have Maleny looking for the Serratura?" Elijah scowled at Lucien. It suddenly made sense why Amarrah had come in earlier wanting the half of Maleny's dark objects.

"Wait a minute, is this the same 'Maleny' that's the owner of the room upstairs?" Aurora glanced up to the second floor.

"Okay, shut up before I tear your tongue from your mouth!" Marlenie suddenly shouted, missing the surprise off Klaus from the familiar threat. "I know all about you and I can say I don't like you one bit," she continued.

"And just who do you claim to be with you're oh-so-mighty voice?" Aurora tilted her head.

"I think I've already made the statement without actually having to say it," Marlenie glanced to her uncle, warmly smiling as Elijah studied her more. "I heard a lot about you, you know. My mother used to say how poised you liked to be in the village. But you did have a little mischievous side." She turned to Klaus then, her face softening as she walked back to him. "But my mother used to talk about you most. You with the big voice, and your bad temper, and your incredible artistic skills, succumbing to my mother's requests without a second thought," she chuckled. "Tell me, is it true you once had to get her off a tree because she was trying to 'make a statement'?" The private memory being drawn out by the strange girl made Klaus nearly tremble. Marlenie expected something along those lines and so her smile was still going strong. "I believe my name should confirm who I am - it has a special meaning, you see. It's Marlenie Velden, though I guess now that I'm here I can finally use my real name: Marlenie Mikaelson." She came to stand face to face with Klaus, the latter staring at her with widened eyes. "Hello, father."

~ 0 ~

In the cemetery, Davina unpleasantly came into one of the Regent crypts to find Vincent casually reading tarot cards over a table. "What do you want?" she asked, sounding already impatient.

"Marcel told me what was going on," Vincent looked up from the cards.

"Mmm. And you decided to care?" Davina gave him an unimpressed look. "This is witch business, Vincent. You don't even practice anymore. And, as for The Strix? If they come after me, I'll deal with it. I'm not afraid."

Vincent sighed and returned to the tarot cards, flipping the one closest to Davina. It happened to be the 'death' card. "Maybe you should be," he said afterwards, but Davina remained unimpressed.

"You trying to scare me?"

"No, Davina- I'm trying to warn you. But you don't like it when people disagree with you. From what I hear, you get pretty mad."

That made a shift in Davina's behavior. "What makes me mad is getting lectured from the guy who walked away from being a witch."

Vincent made to get leaving. "Well, then I best be careful, or else I'm gonna end up like all the people you got mad at last time, right?"

Davina frowned. "Kara Nguyen attacked me."

"So you had her killed? You gonna kill anybody who disagrees with you, Davina?"

"I took care of a threat. That's what leaders do. And, if anyone tries to stand against me, I'll do it again." Davina left him with that warning and walked out of the crypt...only to see a group of Elders from different covens waiting for her outside. At the front was Van Nguyen, Karen's son, holding a dreamcatcher in his hands.

"Funny thing about a willow hoop- never know what you're gonna see," he smugly said to the teen Regent.

Davina quickly looked back to the crypt where Vincent was coming out holding the matching willow hoop.

"I told you I'd find out what you did. Now everyone else knows, too," Van concluded with great triumph.

~ 0 ~

"This is madness, proper madness," Aurora was more than irritated to see Marlenie being sat down at the table, closest to Klaus, like if she were actually a _part_ of the dinner. "Are we actually going to believe what this woman says?"

"Oh honey, I've already been believed," Marlenie reached for a bowl full of berries and plucked on up. "Ooo, I love berries," she remarked without thinking.

Klaus intently watched her pick up the small berry, still in awe, and after her sudden remark he saw Maleny in her for a brief second. Could it be that there was actually...a _second_ child of his with Maleny walking the Earth? Well, Marlenie certainly had his aggressiveness packed down yet she still had that innocent aura Maleny carried with her despite the gravity of the situations they found themselves in. She had his eyes, Maleny's then-raven-black hair as well as a tint of the voice.

"So," Marlenie looked at the others with curiosity, holding another berry in hand whilst she chewed another, "what exactly was the purpose of this little dinner? And how can I destroy it?"

"To create a negotiation, clearly," Tristan answered her, mildly annoyed with her presence. As far as he knew, it was just another complication. "None of your concern."

Marlenie flashed him a fake smile. "I don't like you either," she declared with a feigned amusement. "Trying to act so high and mighty just because you have a little club."

Klaus cleared his throat but did a terrible job swallowing down a laugh. "Marlenie, try to be a little nicer for the moment, no?"

Marlenie lightly sighed and looked out to the plates of food. "Yes, father," she said overly innocent which only then amused Klaus more.

Just then, Freya strode into the courtyard, and after desperately trying to find Rebekah's whereabouts, seeing the guests her brothers had for dinner made it all the more infuriating. "We're welcoming our enemies to the dinner table now?"

Seeing her put Marlenie under a grave terror. She abruptly got up from her chair, her breath taking shaky intakes. "Y-you…"

Freya narrowed her eyes at the woman, to her being just another intrusive in the compound. Marlenie backed away, swallowing hard. "You're not supposed to be here...you're...you're dead...You're supposed to be dead!"

"Marlenie," Klaus got up and walked towards the younger vampire.

Marlenie gasped and looked at him as he neared her. "The witches that kept Nicolas and I...they did a spell after this witch took my brother, and her face-" she pointed at Freya, "-was there! She worked with that witch that took Nicolas!"

Freya arched an eyebrow, slowly turning her head towards Elijah. "What is going on?"

Elijah cleared his throat and answered slowly. "It appears Maleny gave birth to twins when she inhabited the body of Iris Velden. This young woman," he gestured to Marlenie, who had clung to Klaus like her life depended on it - and the hybrid not so against it held her, "is Marlenie, the...middle child?"

"Maleny never ceases to surprise the hell out of me," Freya mumbled before returning her attention to Marlenie. "You speak of our aunt Dahlia, and I can assure you that woman is good and dead. Your brother is coming home. Now, I would give you a welcome home hug but I'm a little preoccupied finding your other aunt, Rebekah, who…" she landed a gaze on Aurora, who was busy glaring at the newest Mikaelson, "...was taken by _you_ , I hear."

Aurora snapped her head towards the blonde witch, rolling her eyes in aggravation. "Oh, for heaven's sake!" she got up from her chair, "Not only do I have to deal with the claiming long, lost daughter, now I have to deal with the long-lost sister as well? Nik, please spare me your family's rage and paranoia. It is exactly this kind of lunacy which led me to steal Rebekah in the first place."

"What did you do with her?" demanded Freya, in no mood for wasting time.

"Oh, I'm sorry, love, but this prophecy has you all acting as fools. And I've no intention of risking my life to foolishness," Aurora put a hand over her chest then sighed. " Now, I can't trust Rebekah with any of you. And I certainly can't trust the silly dear to endure on her own, so I decided to put her someplace safe. Imagine a spot where no harm could come to her. Where, in fact, no one could possibly even track her down. Yes, rest assured, Rebekah is perfectly fine... at the bottom of the ocean."

The declaration had the two Originals sending her murderous glares, and a deep glare from Freya. "You're bluffing," Klaus tried her, hoping it was just part of her delirious personality.

Aurora pursed her lips, feigning innocence as she shook her head. "Nope."

"Tell me you're bluffing!"

Aurora let her act go and rolled her eyes. "Oh, you should all be thanking me. Rebekah's never been safer! She has plenty of company down there. There's all the little crabs," with her hands, she imitated said animal as well as the next, " ...and octopus, and…"

Klaus left Marlenie to speed up to the table, slamming his hands just opposite of Aurora. Before he could do anything else, Tristan sped up to Freya and held a knife to her throat. "Harm my sister, and I'll be forced to return the favor."

Elijah sighed in feigned weariness then sped over, yanking Tristan from Freya to shove him face-first against a support beam of the balcony.

From his spot at the table, Lucien reached for his drink and made a common, snarky remark. "Oh, this all escalated very quickly…"

Following her in her family's steps, Marlenie forgone her fear of Freya to speed behind Lucien's chair, picking up a leftover knife to stab his shoulder. "Don't think I've forgotten about my mother. I came searching for my family so don't think for a second that I would hesitate to kill anyone threatening them especially my mortal mother."

Lucien rolled his eyes and came up with a dark response. "You said it yourself, dear," he spat the last word as he pulled the knife from his shoulder, acquiring his own answer. " _Mortal_ mother. And, oh, the mortal are so fragile and... _breakable_."

Marlenie's eyes widened, briefly terrified. "You would hurt her?"

"Well, I will admit it's not the same. She may be the mind but I was used to the body," Lucien shrugged.

The comment had Marlenie angrier than earlier, but when she met eyes with Klaus, she saw hers compared nothing to his. It looked like he was ready to kill Lucien there and then.

Aurora saw it too. "Okay, can we just let go of this woman?"

Marlenie smugly glanced at her. "You're sadly never going to see that happen."

Freya had enough of the nonsense and used her magic to snap Aurora's neck. Elijah agreed with her method and dragged Tristan back to the table, harshly shoving him into his seat. "Niklaus... which of these two vulgar parasites would you first like to torture?"

"Actually," Marlenie spoke up, crossing her arms and once again glaring at Lucien, "I'd like a word with him first."

"And I need you to come with me first," Klaus said and made her look at him. "As convincing as your story is…"

"It's not a story," Marlenie inputted, not offended by his doubt.

"...I would like some concrete confirmation you speak the truth," Klaus looked past her towards Freya. "Freya?"

"Fine," the witch sighed, "but someone tie that one up," she pointed to Aurora.

"I'll call Hayley," Elijah announced, looking between the two remaining vampire men. "I'm sure she'd love to help us here."

~ 0 ~

Marlenie had been brought to the downstairs living room where Freya rapidly prepared the spell that would tell if Marlenie was truly Klaus' daughter. Marlenie intently, and still slightly fearful, watched Freya stand over a table with the spell ingredients.

"You don't have to be afraid of me," Freya smiled amusedly as she worked. "If you're telling the truth, then you will be welcomed-"

"That's not why I'm afraid," Marlenie interrupted, her voice unusually soft and meek. "Your face was there when the witches did the spell to see where my brother, Nick, was…you and that woman's face..."

"Dahlia," Freya named.

"Dahlia," repeated Marelnie and sighed. "She came like a storm and stole my brother."

Freya sighed and looked at the woman. "I didn't know what Dahlia's plans were. I promise you, though, that your brother was cared for by me. I loved that little kid with all my heart."

"Why would she take him?" Marlenie asked, her eyes filling with tears. "Mum was already gone and Nick was all I had left. We were just kids hoping each day we wouldn't be sacrificed by the lunatic witch coven we were forced to live with. But then that woman came in, and she stole Nick. And I was left alone."

Freya sympathetically looked at her assumed niece. "I am deeply sorry for what Dahlia did to you. She took me from my family when I was just five years old. There was a curse placed on every first-born generation of this family that had them belonging to our aunt Dahlia."

"Nick was born about three minutes before me," Marlenie whispered.

"And thus the very first of a new Mikaelson generation," Freya sighed. "But don't worry, Dahlia is dead now. Your brother will be coming home soon."

"I would ask how you're alive but I frankly don't care," Marlenie lightly chuckled. "All I know is that I found my father, my mother is alive and in her own body, and that my brother is alive and coming home too!"

Freya smiled and returned to her spell. "That's the spirit. Now then, I have some o Klaus' blood but I'm also going to need your blood."

Marlenie's eyes half-widened when Freya held out a hand with a knife. "Umm…."

"Do this and then you can join your aunt Hayley in the ballroom where Aurora is being kept," Freya waved the knife tauntingly. "I know you're just itching to slap her a little…"

Without saying a word, Marlenie held out both her hands, eager to join the torturing.

~ 0 ~

Back in Lucien's apartment, Maleny was busy looking through the boxes of dark objects while also having a conversation with Amarrah over the cellphone.

"Vincent's there? Oh thank God, can you two bring over my half please?" Maleny pulled out a strange looking, twisted star and crinkled her nose.

"You want me to bring your mother's spellbook and the objects to that awful place?" Amarrah groaned. "I'd rather not step foot into the wolf's cave."

Maleny rolled her eyes. "There's no one here but me, Ams. Please just bring them over."

"What do you intend on doing with it?"

"Hmm, a spellbook full of spells and witches objects…" Maleny pretended to consider the answer, dropping the star back into the box. "Yes, I think I was going to make pancakes with it."

"Well, nice to see your humor is still intact," Amarrah sighed. "But fine, if you promise Lucien isn't going to be there then we'll come."

"I can promise that. Now please hurry, I can't promise how long he'll be there," Maleny said before hanging up. She put her cellphone down on the couch and returned to her task. Eventually, she picked up a skeleton looking object. Gently, she traced her fingers over it and deviously smiled. "Hmm, looks like I've finally found it." She backtracked from the boxes and plopped down on the couch. "But who's gonna find it after me," she giggled, "Not Lucien!"

~ 0 ~

Hayley was having quite the entertainment beating the crap out of Aurora in attempts to get the location of Rebekah's whereabouts. She was more than surprised to see a black-haired woman striding into the room like she owned the place.

"Can I help you?" Hayley arched an eyebrow, but then quickly looked back at Aurora, who was on the floor, when she loudly groaned.

"Honestly, I was more than curious to meet the mother of Niklaus' child," Aurora rolled her eyes, "But _you_ ," she pointed towards Marlenie, "were nowhere near that list."

Marlenie pretended to pout. "Don't worry, you won't be here much longer after my mother comes back."

Aurora then glared and jumped to her feet. "If I hear one more 'my mother' or 'Maleny' someone is going to die."

"Your mother is Maleny?" Hayley blinked at the new vampire. She had no knowledge of whatever the Mikaelsons had been planning, but she was more than pleased to be invited in to torture vampires who hurt her family.

"It's still being proved but aunt Freya let me come to play while she finished the spell that's going to confirm it all," Marlenie cracked her knuckles, all the meanwhile staring at Aurora. "Now please explain why this redhead just said you're the mother of my father's daughter? Mine's blonde and mortal."

"You don't know you have a younger stepsister?" Hayley asked and sped up behind Aurora when the redhead made a step towards Marlenie.

"WHAT!?"

Hayley snorted. "Take that as a 'no' then."

"So...you and my father…"

Hayley waved with a hand to stop her from going any further. "One night stand, way before Maleny even showed up. And rest assured, that will never again."

Marlenie seemed satisfied with Hayley's assurance. "Fine. Now after this, do you think I can meet my...little sister?"

Hayley yanked Aurora by the hair, pretending to think about it. "Help me with this one and I'll think about it."

Marlenie smirked and nodded in agreement.

~ 0 ~

Out in the cemetery, Davina stood at the head of the crowd of Elders. Vincent and Van stood not too far from her, and all listened as Vincent read off a scroll.

"By order of the law set forth by the Ancestors, in accordance to the decree of the nine covens, Davina Claire, you are henceforth banished from this community. Your title is revoked, as is your link to those that have come before. You will no longer have contact with the Ancestors. To the New Orleans witches, it will be as though you were never born."

Vincent looked up at the teary-eyed woman, who was horrified of the situation. He felt no better himself for having lent a hand to Marcel in this play. But it was the only way to get the Strix off Davina's back...at least that's what they told themselves.

"I'm sorry, Davina. It's time," he regretfully told Davina.

Shaking, Davina watched the crowd of witches form an aisle for her to walk through. As she walked through them, the witches turned their backs on her to symbolize her banishment from the covens. With each step she took she could also feel the Ancestors leaving her as well.

It was almost impossible not to break down before leaving the cemetery.

~ 0 ~

Klaus stood watching over Freya as she finished her spell. He was rather anxious when she stopped chanting and looked up. He could see the merged puddle of blood on the paper Freya had set on the table. "Well?" he impatiently asked, arms crossed.

A quirky smile spread across Freya's face. "Congratulations, Klaus, your father to three lovely children. And I think we both know who _truly_ inherited your temper."

Klaus rolled his eyes, looking irritated with her little joke. Inside, however, he felt the air being sucked out of his lungs, much like in the same way he felt after holding Hope for the first time and learning of Nicolas' existence.

"You should know that Marlenie hasn't told Maleny who she really is," Freya said, beginning to clear the table of the spell. "Just a note…"

"I have no interest," Klaus quietly said and turned for the doors.

"It's just us, Klaus," Freya playfully rolled her eyes. "Marlenie's caught me up with everything that's happened today. I hope this is the white flag moment and someone gets Maleny the hell out of Lucien's place. Because I deeply feel like Lucien could live up to his threat and hurt her."

Klaus swallowed hard, for a minute believing in Freya's accusation. Despite it all, he couldn't let another of his kind hurt her due to his family's enemies.

~ 0 ~

After procuring a very unpleasant truth by the De Martel siblings, everyone was released to go back to the courtyard where the dinner table was still set.

"Longitude and latitude. Lovely," Lucien grumbled as he took back his seat, this time having the agreement of everyone. One of the siblings held the longitude while the other held the latitude that would bring the Mikaelsons to the location of Rebekah's body.

"Well, despite our differences, I believe great strides were made today," Tristan fakeily smiled and held up his glass to his sister's beside him, clinking to their triumph.

Elijah stood at his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Tristan, I can't murder you at this very moment, but I could just as easily tear those eyeballs from your skull and feed them to your sister."

"Ooh, see I always wondered if the threats my mother said you all made were true," Marlenie chuckled as she walked into the courtyard with Klaus beside her. "I guess it's true."

"That's nothing," Klaus scoffed, feigning offense. "You don't think you inherited your threat abilities from him did you?"

"So, it's true, then?" Elijah glanced back at the two, curiously waiting for the answer.

"It appears she was telling the truth," Klaus wrapped an arm around Marlenie's shoulder. "I had twins!"

"And do you know, we share quite the complicated plan-making skills," Marlenie giggled. "This dinner was quite lovely, filled with drama and family tension - It was filled with intrigue and devilish plans, though nothing compared to what we have planned now." Her giggle suddenly faded and was replaced with a cold look. She sped around the table to where Tristan was and snapped his neck without so much a word.

Aurora gasped in horror and jumped to her feet. She glanced at Klaus, feeling utterly betrayed while he merely smirked with pride.

"Were you anyone else, the servants would already be mopping your blood from the floor," he informed her. "If you do not bring my sister home, Tristan will die slowly, and in tremendous pain."

"You betray me for what?" she frowned, gesturing to Marlenie behind. "A sudden child that could have very well lured you into a trap? Or the family that is sure to betray you like they always have in the past?"

Klaus rolled his eyes and sped up to her, loudly sneering at her. "I have your brother- a sibling for a sibling. I want Rebekah back."

"You will regret this," Aurora swore to him and stormed off.

"After everything today, you just let her go?" Freya incredulously glared at Klaus after the redhead woman left.

"Aurora should be easy enough to control. We have Tristan now," Elijah gestured to the knocked out vampire on his chair.

Marlenie then turned and sped up to Lucien, her face once again cold. "I don't think I have to openly say it but, for your needs, I want my mother back."

Klaus then joined her side, sharing very much the same glare with her. "Along with the medallion, should she find it. But if there is so much a hair harmed on Maleny's head you will meet an end so cruel, the devil will weep."

Though it was mighty horrific to be in the position he was, Lucien stood his ground and got up. "Well, that's a heroic threat but the ultimate decision lays with Maleny, don't you think? After what happened, will she really come back?"

~ 0 ~

When Maleny heard the knocking on the doors, she rushed to go answer them. "Amarrah!" she exclaimed and pulled the French witch inside.

"Hey, I have the spellbook," Amarrah declared behind a box she held.

"That's great," Maleny beamed and helped Amarrah come into the apartment with the box. They both set it down on the coffee table and Amarrah set her purse next to it where she took out the spell book.

"Vincent's downstairs bringing in more boxes," Amarrah explained.

"Great," Maleny chuckled, "Do you think you can have Cami come here to pick up her boxes?"

"You found the medallion?" Amarrah worriedly asked.

"No," Maleny sighed. "And I know that's going to cost me with Lucien, but I really couldn't find it."

"Do you think he's going to buy that?"

"Look, I don't have it. He's gonna have to think of another place to look for it," Maleny shrugged.

"Alright," Amarrah turned for the door, "I'm gonna help Vincent bring up more boxes. Don't go anywhere."

Maleny playfully rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Lucien has me on lockdown so no worries."

"Well, maybe he's not all bad," Amarrah pretended to reconsider him by the door. "But still, you can come over to my place instead. I really don't like you being here."

"I know," Maleny crossed her arms. "I just...I just don't know what to do right now. I need to think."

"There's not much to think, Mal," Amarrah said quietly and walked out.

Maleny sighed and turned for the coffee table, eyeing Amarrah's purse.

Outside, Amarrah rushed for the elevator. She knew Vincent was probably having a hard time carrying in the heavy boxes. Back in the apartment, Maleny had sat down on the couch. She rubbed her golden necklace and sighed. For some reason, it didn't sit right with her to have it around her neck when she was doing so much wrong. Her mother was an innocent woman, and Maleny no longer thought she could ever be one.

"What have I become, mother?" Maleny whispered. How she wished she could visit the makeshift altar Klaus had helped her make near Mystic Falls. She doubted Lucien would take her.

A strange noise from the hallway, followed by a shrill scream of Amarrah snapped Maleny from her thoughts.

Bolting up from the couch, she ran for the doors. "Amarrah!?" she looked around and saw her French friend unconscious on the floor with a bloody neck.

Standing behind Amarrah's body was none other than Aurora, her fangs blared out and covered in blood. "Well, then, you must be Maleny…"

Maleny felt her heart nearly stop at the sight of her. She glanced back at the doors of Lucien's apartment, knowing if she made it past them she would be safe as Aurora was not invited in. She whirled around and made to run, but Aurora caught her midway.

" _Mortal_ …" Aurora repeated the famous word as she dragged a hand down Maleny's neck, able to hear the terrified heartbeat of the blonde. "Perfect."

~ 0 ~

By the time Amarrah woke up, Vincent had brought her into Lucien's apartment, where he was explained to what happened. Shortly afterwards, Marlenie, Klaus and Lucien arrived.

"What are you doing in my apartment?" Lucien was quick to threateningly demand from the two witches.

"Easy," Vincent raised his hands in a non-threatening manner. "My friend's hurt, alright?" he gestured to the bleeding Amarrah on the couch.

It was fairly recognizable as a vampire injury as the blood oozed from the witch's neck.

Marlenie looked around the very quiet apartment. "Where's my mother?" she whispered.

"Who?" Amarrah languidly looked at the new woman, no idea who she was.

Klaus spotted Maleny's mother's spellbook on the table and rushed up to retrieve them. He picked up the book and glanced at Amarrah. "She wouldn't leave it here. _Where_ did she go?" Amarrah slowly looked down, and giving no answer Klaus repeated himself in a loud shout. "Where is she!?"

Amarrah flinched and finally answered. "Aurora, she...she came out of nowhere and attacked me...and…"

"N-n-n-n-no," Lucien cut her off, coming up to the side of the couch, "Maleny was safe in here. No one of a different sireline gets in without an invitation."

"Then she must have gone out!" Amarrah exclaimed. "I screamed and naturally she had to come out. You would know that if you actually knew her."

"Are you saying that delusive woman has my mother in her possession?" a flash of terror crossed Marlenie's face as she sped out of the apartment to go in search of the immediate perimeters.

"This is your fault," Klaus turned on Lucien rather fast, a glint of murder filling his own eyes.

"Don't blame me for your ex," Lucien snapped. "Shall I remind you why Aurora killed her the first time? You may despise me but at least what I touch doesn't wither away or die sooner or later."

"Excellent last words," Klaus snapped and walked towards him when Amarrah called.

"Don't waste time on him!" she angrily got up with the help of Vincent. "Now we all have jobs to do. I'm taking these boxes back," she nodded towards said boxes, "As well as this," she reached for the spellbook from Klaus but he jerked it away, giving her a warning look.

"C'mon, Ams," Vincent gently helped her walk out of the apartment.

But just as they crossed the doorway, Amarrah forced him to stop so she could say one last thing to the two men. "And for the record, it's _both_ your faults this happened. Feel proud, men. While you battled to see who kept the pretty blonde, you let her cross lethal danger. If Maleny dies for real, it will be on both of you."

Klaus glared daggers her way as she was helped out, but some part of him knew her words were a bit true.

* * *

 _"I think the celebration for the harvest may have turned out to be a better one than we thought," Maleny mused with a light chuckle._

 _"You are certainly right," Klaus agreed and made her laugh again. He pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder._

 _It was dark out, but not as late to have to sneak back into the village right away. And that was good, because neither wanted their moment to end. They had ended up together with the blanket they'd brought with them now draped over both their naked bodies._

 _Maleny turned a bit to look up at Klaus, the latter on his side, and smiled. "Can you promise me something?"_

 _"Anything."_

 _"...promise me we'll be together, forever. Promise me that...one day, we will be husband and wife."_

 _Klaus pretended to think for a moment before smiling. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her arm, "I promise to be with you forever." He then moved his lips to kiss her shoulder again. "I promise to keep you happy." He then kissed her neck, hearing Maleny hum afterwards. "I promise to keep you safe." He laid a soft kiss over her lips while one of his hands searched for hers to clasp with his. "I promise to love you always and forever."_

* * *

Klaus turned away from the door and Lucien and found nothing else but a pouring guilt. He had, in truth, forgotten all those promises he once made to Maleny. It had been a thousand years, but even then - without remembering - it had been his instinct to protect her. How long had they come to be where they are now...

Well, he knew then that no matter what their status was, he couldn't bear to let her get hurt, and much less because of him yet again.

He was going to find her. That was a vow that he was going to see through.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_**

Honestly, the chapter before, this one and the next two are quite possibly my favorites from this story. You'll see why - something big happens, and I won't say if it's good or bad ;) You'll have to keep reading to see! And what did you think of Marlenie's fashionable entrance? Think we for real know who has the temper of the Original hybrid...would not want to be in her enemy list!

 **For the reviews:**

Oh. M. G. indeed ;) what was your reaction this time lol?

Thank you! Glad you did and hope you like this chapter as well!

Yes, they do! Maleny - back then inhabiting the body of Iris Velden - gave birth to twins: Nicolas first, then three minutes later Marlenie!

Oh you'll see the different personalities of the twins when they get together, promise! Ahahaha, you'll love how they affect Mal & Klaus, I find it hilarious sometimes xD.

I mean, would Klaus react any other way? And once again, just take your time reading things! Oh my god I used to watch that one sporadically when it came on the WB lol but the only anime I've watched-watched and obsessed over is my Sailor Moon/Sailor V. I love those! And thanks for the recommendations! I've read through most of them and I really liked them - I've made good progress on my own now, so thanks!

Well, it's been a long wait so I hope the chapter was to your liking!

* * *

Soooo...if we remember the next episode we know it'll be a heavy Aurora/Mal chapter and that...is fairly interesting I promise ;)


	6. My Beloved

The following morning after such a disastrous Thanksgiving dinner, Aurora utilized a stolen car to get herself, and her new special friend, to St. Ann's church. There she parked and went to the trunk of the car, opening it to gaze upon her victim. Maleny laid there, 'unconscious', with a blood-crusted bite wound on her neck

"Aw, poor dear! Still sleeping," Aurora smugly smiled. "Well, you have a big day ahead of you. We should get started."

She leaned down to pick up Maleny when suddenly the blonde snatched a crowbar beside her and smacked Aurora upside the face with it. When the redhead cried out in pain, Maleny scrambled out of the car and made a run for it. She didn't make it very far before Aurora got over her pain and sped up to her. Maleny gasped and stumbled back.

"That was not nice," Aurora coldly scolded.

"You're one to talk about 'nice'," Maleny found courage to withhold her sarcasm. "...you lunatic murderer."

Aurora took offense to the last accusation, but didn't make a remark about it just yet. "Okay, you and I need to have a little heart-to-heart conversation. Come along." She grabbed Maleny's arm and dragged her through the back entrance of the church.

The two came into the gym where several men were busy training. Confused, and afraid for the innocent people in the room, Maleny asked, "What are we doing here?"

"I heard a rumor these men train here, hoping to be made into vampires," Aurora shrugged. "So, I'm going to grant them their wish." She shoved Maleny forwards, but once she got her balance she turned to Aurora.

"Your problem is not with them," she frowned. "Frankly, I don't know what the hell you want with me, but if that's the case then take me elsewhere."

"It's a bit interesting…" Aurora went on like Maleny hadn't spoken. "You recognized me the moment you saw me, but I know for a _fact_ we've never crossed paths before. It'd be impossible considering you're, um-" she cupped her mouth to dramatically whisper, "- _mortal_." Maleny narrowed her eyes. "But then those who cross paths with the Mikaelsons due tend to have some inexplicable traits. Care to share yours?"

"No," Maleny said without a second thought, and when Aurora dangerously advanced for her she quickly added, "And I'm on vervain so cancel all compulsion thoughts from your head."

Aurora despised losing advantages, and since she already lost one last night she wasn't in the mood to have a mortal thinking herself superior. Her eyes scanned the room with the men, seeing the numbers and quickest way to get the job done.

"What are you thinking…?" Maleny was afraid to ask, but her answer came in the form of a visual.

Aurora sped up to one human man, biting herself to feed him blood, then snapping his neck. She proceeded to do the same with the rest. Once finished, she whirled around to the blonde.

"What in the hell was that for!?" Maleny gaped.

"It's all part of the incentive, my dear," Aurora cleaned her face of blood and swayed her way towards Maleny. "You know who I am, apparently, so you should know that Nik and I are having just a little bit of a spat at the moment, as he took my brother captive. Now, it's come to my attention that you are... quite precious to him."

Maleny shifted awkwardly and crossed her arms. "Get your facts straight. You had a fight with him, fix it on your own. Leave me out of it."

"Can't do that," Aurora wagged her finger. "See, because being mother to his twins puts you in a place you shouldn't be."

Maleny blinked rapidly. "What do you mean... _twins_? I-I didn't have twins…"

Aurora pretended to gasp. "Did you not know? Well, let me just tell you your little girl is an annoying prick."

"I don't...I don't have a daughter," Maleny weakly insisted, but Aurora went on.

"She just came in and ruined the nice dinner we were having," she crinkled her nose. "And then, she gave this dramatic speech before telling Nik he was her father."

"That's not true!" Maleny shouted.

"But of course it is!" Aurora snapped back, loud enough to silence Maleny. "She wormed her way into dinner, helped torture me, and somehow managed to convince everyone she was _your_ daughter and Klaus'."

Maleny could see the pure rage in Aurora's eyes that could not belong to someone who was just making things up. But then...that would mean...she hd a...

"I have a...daughter? Twins?"

Aurora allowed her half of a weak smile before she sped Maleny up to the wall of the sparring cage. "You're quite the special little thing, you see? I had to take you in order to fully get Klaus' attention. And once these men," she nodded towards these unconscious bodies, "are in transition, they'll need to feed. And since you will be the only human blood available...well, Nik had better give me what I want."

~ 0 ~

Tristan had been tied up to a chair and kept in one of the lounge rooms upstairs. Freya worked on a magical boundary spell around him when Elijah joined her.

"The spell is complete," Freya announced with the upmost pride. "Tristan cannot cross the boundary of his own will, but we can enter and leave as we please. I took the liberty of injecting him with hibiscus and mugwort to counteract any vervain in his system. All you have to do is compel him to give you the longitude of Rebekah's location."

Elijah shook his head. "He says he's immune."

Freya didn't look so disappointed as she merely shrugged. "Well, then I'll find some other way to make him talk." She went for a table and picked up an old-fashioned dagger with a thick, wavy-cut blade.

Elijah rolled his eyes and walked up to her. "Will you?"

Freya sighed and handed over the blade. "You're still upset I tortured Aurora without your permission."

"Oh, Freya. I'm obscenely fond of torture. But yes, when I'm entertaining, I like to be the one to choose precisely when and how we violate the guests."

Freya shrugged, she didn't care who tortured as long as they got what they needed. "Fine. How should we proceed?"

"Devastate his body, infiltrate the mind, and steal the information we need. To that end, I've invited a friend."

And just as Elijah finished, Hayley walked into the room holding Hope. The two adults looked confused by the presence of their niece. Hayley didn't look so happy herself.

"Unless she's violently teething, I don't recommend this as a daycare…" Elijah gave her a pointed look, disapproving.

"Jack's gone, and I don't know if he's coming back," Hayley explained and added fast, "I also really don't want to talk about it. So, which one of you will take Hope while I take out my anger on this pompous dick."

"I will," a fourth voice volunteered mere seconds before coming into the room. Marlenie was in awe as she took a first glimpse at her younger sister. "That's her, then? Hope?"

Hayley glanced back at the others, receiving encouraging nods from them. She walked up to Marlenie and gently passed Hope into her arms. "She's walking, so you have to watch her all the time."

Marlenie beamed at the easy trust she'd been given. "Oh, I will," she fixed a strand from Hope's hair. "She's beautiful."

"We like to think so too," Hayley half-smiled.

Marlenie looked at the others, though smiling she still had the aura of melancholy with her. "My father has refused to let me help look for my mother. He sent me back."

"Don't take it personal," Elijah sighed. "He has a tendency to take very little help."

"As do I," Marlenie said firmly. "But I know in cases like these one needs all the help they can get."

"And there's Maleny's genes," Hayley coughed, "...thankfully."

Marlenie sighed. "I should be out there helping. Everyone's got a job to do except me."

Hayley playfully made a face. "Ah, kids. Go and play with your sister now. And _no_ drinking while you're on the job." Marlenie was not amused when Hayley made a motion to 'shoo'. Grumbling things under her breath, she turned to leave with Hope. Hayley then turned to Freya and Elijah. "Well?"

"All yours," Freya motioned to Tristan. "Bon appetit!"

Hayley didn't wait for another word and bared her fangs to viciously bite Tristan on the neck, forcing him to wake up with a shrill scream.

~ 0 ~

Klaus burst into Lucien's apartment, nearly breaking the doors with such force. Lucien stood by the television, holding the remote control, and glanced back in irritation.

"Not a fan of knocking, are we?" he asked.

"I afford courtesy to those who are in my good graces!" Klaus scoffed, stopping just across him. "You've fallen short."

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Which is why I've called you. This whole situation has gotten a tad out of hand."

"Out of _your_ hand!" Klaus was quick to correct. "You put Maleny in danger!"

"I left her in a well protected home she was not supposed to leave," Lucien snapped back, gripping the control in his hand. "Was I the one that gave Aurora incentive to come after Maleny? Don't think so." He pointed a finger at Klaus, more angry as he continued. "Unlike you, I kept her safe _here_."

Surprisingly, Klaus looked as if he were amused. "Yes, I heard of your little lockdown method. You should know that Maleny nearly always escapes and if she didn't it's because she wasn't comfortable with you."

The victory smirk he showed off nearly made Lucien lose it but he kept his demeanor in check and turned to the television again. "You may want to see this - Aurora has left a clue."

As soon as he turned the television on, Klaus was at his side intently staring at the screen. Lucien had acquired surveillance footage of last night with Aurora's abduction. Maleny stood in a corner of the elevator, her head down and her terrified face barely visible due to her hair sprawled down. Aurora stood in the middle, holding her palm up to the camera which had 'Jackson Square' written across it.

"I would be a little less concerned if Aurora didn't have a _mortal_ in her possession," Lucien turned the television off and chucked the control to the couch. "Because we all know what happened the last time your family wronged her." Klaus met his accusing look but for the first time had nothing to defend with. That seemed to satisfy Lucien judging by the smirk across his lips. "Only different this time is _I_ won't be the only one losing a love."

"Had I known what Aurora was going to do with Cecilia, rest assured I would have intervened," Klaus said, "But it was abrupt, out of the blue. Now she thinks she can do the same thing well...it will be the last decision she ever makes."

He turned for the doors when Lucien called out, warning him, "I'm coming with you."

Klaus scoffed and glanced over his shoulder. "In your delusional mind, maybe…"

"Let's forget our differences for a minute to think about this logically, shall we?" Lucien made a gesture with his hand. "If Aurora is upset with you, might she just be leading you into a trap-"

"Aurora has neither the means nor the will to harm me," Klaus dismissed the thought and made to leave again when Lucien continued.

"So you say, but she is a vindictive lunatic. The prophecy said that you and your siblings would fall- one by foe, one by family, one by friend. What is Aurora to you, if not a friend?" he then added a little more quietly, "...With certain benefits…"

Unimpressed with the way the conversation turned to, Klaus returned to shove Lucien into a wall, hand tightly curled around his throat. "Perhaps I should murder my friends, starting with you."

Lucien flashed a wicked smile, as he had the perfect response to the threat. "Oh, but that's just the thing, isn't it? You can't exactly kill me anymore unless you can live with Maleny's never-ending rage towards you."

"I was thinking I'd simply tell her the threats you made towards her last night," Klaus shrugged. "That oughta do it."

"Oh right, because she's just so anxious to see you again," Lucien reminded and pushed Klaus away from him.

Had it not been for his cell phone ringing, Klaus would've continued with more threats. He pulled out his phone and saw Amarrah's name. "What is it? I'm busy," was his kind answer to the call.

"Where are you?" Amarrah asked, sounding strange even for Klaus' taste.

"Leaving Lucien's apartment," Klaus answered, the look he had on the other vampire telling him he was leaving then. To his misfortune, Lucien followed despite the earlier exchange of words.

"I need to see you," Amarrah declared.

"Are you seriously asking for a get together right now?" Klaus made a face as he and Lucien entered the elevator. "In case you've forgotten, Aurora took Maleny and I'm fairly interested in getting her back."

Amarrah sighed. "Please? I think you need to know something. It's important, I swear."

"If it fails to be so I promise you you're going to regret evere coming into the Quarter. We'll be at Jackson Square."

The response from Amarrah was a 'yeah right' and scoff before she promptly hung up.

~ 0 ~

Maleny silently watched Aurora across her sway in small steps, every now and then glancing at her for some reason. The little smirks Aurora sent her way made her stomach churn with upmost terror.

And Aurora could see that too.

"Do you know I find you a peculiar case," she finally spoke up, stopping her sways for a minute. "For the two weeks I spent with Nik, he never mentioned you…" she only paused to drink in Maleny's hurt, disappointed expression, "...but that didn't stop everyone else from yapping on about dear ole 'Mal'," she raised her fingers into quotation marks before pretending to gag. "Who apparently was so cared for by Nik. So, being naturally curious, I tried looking you up. The internet does wonders nowadays, but…" she then pretended to pout, "...for some reason _nothing_ came up about you. Maleny Rowan, who, exactly?"

"I don't do disclosure with people I dislike," Maleny shakily replied back, crossing her arms. For someone who had lost countless amount of blood, she was standing fairly well. Although she could've done better if Aurora had been, apparently, bothered by the vervain in her system. "And if it wasn't clear before: I don't like you."

Aurora chuckled and started for her, and so Maleny, startled, tried backtracking. "I can see that perfectly, but…" Aurora surprised the blonde by speeding up to her, being face to face, "I can also see the true terror you have in your eyes whenever you're looking at me. You don't exist in this modern world, you apparently have twins with Nik - one of which looks more or less like your age - and not to mention you easily identifying me before. I'm led to believe perhaps you're older than you appear...centuries old I mean."

Maleny swallowed and looked away. "Nice job, playing detective…"

Irritated with the lack of responses she was getting, Aurora grabbed Maleny by the chin and forced her to look at her. "Just because you're on vervain and I can't compel you doesn't mean I can't torture you for answers I want. Your call my dear."

Maleny pushed Aurora's hand off her face. "Don't call me 'my dear' you murderer."

"There it is again," Aurora clapped her hands together. "Won't you please tell me more?"

"Ha," Maleny started to smirk, deciding if she was going to be forced to talk she should might as well make it sting. "You know, I feel special Klaus hasn't told you anything about me. It's like I'm his little secret." Her work was finely produced as Aurora immediately glared daggers her way. "You're right, I don't really exist in this world. I mean, to the Quarter here I'm just Camille O'Connell's cousin. You know her right? Her family used to own this church?" she gestured to the room. "Well, even that's probably scratched away by now."

"Are we getting to a point?" Aurora impatiently asked.

Maleny smirked and innocently nodded. "I may not exist to the world but for Klaus I _have_ been his world. You claim to be his most important love but guess what?" she leaned closer to Aurora's face, whispering, "I was his _first_ ever love...and after what you've decided to do to me, I'll probably be his last." Aurora angrily growled and snatched Maleny by the throat, pushing her up against the cage. "Uh-uh-uh," Maleny wagged a finger to the redhead. "If you kill me Klaus will no longer have that incentive you talked about earlier - oh, and your guys-" she pointed to the unconscious men on the floor, "-will be pretty pissed their snack was killed."

The sarcasm and superiority dripping from Maleny made it all the more infuriating for Aurora. She was kidnapped! She wasn't supposed to be having fun! "Your sense of humor is quite dark...not to mention irritating."

Maleny struggled to swallow down her laughter as she responded, "That's what Klaus says he likes best about me. That, and my pretty blonde hair," she winked.

Aurora could feel her blood boiling and the realization she couldn't yet kill Maleny had her nearly going mad. She yanked Maleny off the cage and backhanded her across the face, sending the poor blonde to the floor.

~ 0 ~

Cami paced back and forth in her living room, conversing over the phone. "Yeah, I know exactly how big the Quarter is! Stop whining and find her. And when you do, you call me."

When she hung up, her front door opened up and Aya walked in. Cami blinked at the intrusion, but Aya greeted her like nothing. "Trouble in Crescent City?"

"Nothing I can't handle," Cami muttered.

"Such hubris. Surprising, given your lack of accomplishment," Aya rolled her eyes.

Cami placed a hand on her hip. "Tell that to Mohinder. Oh," she pretended to gasp, "that's right! You can't. He's dead. Your boss killed him, right after I made him look like a chump."

Aya looked bemused. "Is that how you recall it?"

"Yeah. That's pretty much how it went down."

"I admit you are a skilled revisionist. Why not tell me your version of another tale? About the witch Regent who was shunned by her own people?"

Cami was well aware of what Marcel had done to Davina, and though it sounded cruel she agreed with his decisions. Davina shouldn't be brought into vampire trouble. "I have no interest in what happens within the covens," she came out with instead. "As long as they follow the faction and city rules, they can do as they please."

Aya narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "You were incredibly close to Davina Claire, and just as she's about to be recruited by a consortium of the most powerful vampires in the world, her status as Regent is revoked, making her all but useless. You have to admit, that's quite a coincidence."

Cami upheld her professional tone. "Like I said, what witches do within their covens is none of my concern."

"Well, it would be foolish of you to defy the very organization that had so recently granted you membership. After all, you and your menagerie of downtrodden vampires have only just begun to reap the benefits we provide." Aya walked up to Cami, meaning to be menacingly. "The Strix have no tolerance for insubordination."

Cami looked far too amused for the situation she was in. "Then I guess I should start paying dues?"

Aya stepped back. "Funny you should mention that. We do have a favor we require."

Now that put a damper on Cami's amusement.

"Tristan has been captured by the Mikaelsons, and since they have refused to release him under peaceful terms we're going to have to go in the hard way."

"You...you want to go to war with the Mikaelsons?" Cami said quietly, involuntarily swallowing down nervously.

"The Mikaelsons declared war when they took Tristan captive," Aya snapped. "I'm calling on you as a Strix to come to the aid of your brethren."

"But that's a suicide mission!"

"Rest assure we have the advantage," Aya pulled out an ornately carved stake from her bag and waved it at Cami. "I assure you, Marcel, I have no suicidal tendencies. What I do have is a weapon - one that can take down even an Original. It won't kill them, but it will subdue them indefinitely. I used one much like it on Rebekah Mikaelson."

Cami was stunned, and frankly terrified, then. "That thing can take down an Original?"

Aya forced Cami to take the blade into her hands. "You'll take this, go into the Mikaelsons' home under the guise of friendship, and then you will drive this stake into Elijah's heart. We will free Tristan and imprison the head of our sireline, all in an entire evening. Do this, and you will have proven your loyalty to The Strix. Fail, and we will revoke your membership... and your life along with it."

The conflicted face sprawled on Cami's face was more than a reason for Aya to doubt the blonde's loyalty, and it was exactly the reason she had thought of Cami in the first place.

~ 0 ~

At Jackson Square, Amarrah impatiently awaited for Klaus to make an appearance as they agreed. When the man finally showed up, she was more than disappointed to find he was with Lucien.

"When I said I wanted to see you, I meant _alone_ ," she sent Lucien a glare, pressing her bag closer to her side.

"Have no worries, I'm not interested in you," Lucien responded back in the same detesting tone she had for him. He looked about to the newest of stalls around them. "I'm off to go hunt for the stupid clue."

"Bye," Amarrah waved sweetly and waited for the man to leave a good distance between them before she spoke to Klaus. "For the record, I'm still crossed with both of you, but I happen to like you just a little bit more."

"Thank you, because I was looking forwards to earning your affections," Klaus rolled his eyes.

"I sincerely hope you avoid using sarcasm when trying to get Maleny back," Amarrah cleared her throat and got to business. "I have something for you," she reached inside her bag and pulled out none other than the Serratura. Klaus' eyes widened and immediately took it from her. "I'm pretty sure Maleny slipped it into my bag yesterday when I came over. At first I didn't get why she would give it to me, but...I realized I was just the messenger. She wanted you to have it."

Klaus studied the medallion in his hand, but his interest in it was gone - he wanted Maleny back. Amarrah watched his sarcastic, cold demeanor wash away and couldn't help smile.

"I hope it sinks in that even after everything, Maleny still didn't trust Lucien with that," she nodded to the medallion. "She trusts you above all. Don't let her down," she said grimly then walked off.

Klaus was left to think about the new revelation. He gripped the medallion and looked around, more determined to find his blonde witch.

~ 0 ~

Marlenie had brought Hope downstairs to the living room where she had placed the toddler over a blanket with toys for entertainment. While Hope played, Marlenie watched from a spot beside the blanket and occasionally interacted with her. Eventually, Hayley came into the room, looking worse for wear.

"How's she doing?" she asked the older vampire.

Marlenie smiled softly and rubbed Hope's back. "She's wonderful. I can't believe I have a little sister." Hope glanced back at Marlenie and squealed happily.

Hayley smiled at the genuine love that had already formed between the two siblings. She then took a seat on the floor beside Marlenie, leaning against the couch. "I bet it was a lot to take in."

"Just a little," Marlenie shrugged. "I mean, all my life I've spent searching for my father. He was the only one I thought was alive. I never thought I would find my mother here, and that my brother was still alive. It's the family I always wished I could have."

"I hope you're not looking for the picture perfect family, though," Hayley coughed awkwardly, earning a chuckle Marlenie.

"If you're referring to yourself and Hope, I admit it was not thought of, but…" Marlenie gave a once over to Hayley, "...you don't seem interested in my father like that lunatic redhead."

"I'm glad we acknowledged that part," Hayley laughed. "I would also like to point out that I'm married and that I love your mother very much. We haven't really spoken since, um…I came back," she decided to keep the curse story brief for time's sake, "She kinda, um, called me out on my shit - well, she called everyone out on their shit - so things have been a little bumpy. But I still love her. And I'm glad she's found herself two children."

"She doesn't even know I exist," Marlenie reminded quietly. "I saw her for an entire day but...I couldn't bring myself to do it. Especially since she was pissed at my dad. I wanted to wait until they got back together, but…" she sniffed, feeling a lump in her throat.

Hayley sadly looked at the woman, reaching to stroke Marlenie's hair. "Hey, it's okay. Listen, if there's one thing you need to understand about your parents it's this: no matter how angry they are at each other, sooner or later they fall back with each other." Marlenie slowly raised her blue eyes to Hayley, still sniffling. "Believe me, I've been a witness."

"But I doubt their problems have ever been this big," Marlenie said quietly. "Because, my mum, she...she and Lucien…"

Hayley crinkled her nose. "Yeah, we all figured that much. Just as I'm sure Maleny assumed of Klaus and Aurora. But how about you go and make sure neither Aurora nor Lucien get their grubby hands on your parents?"

Marlenie frowned, confused. "What? But I thought you needed me to…" she glanced at Hope, "...watch…"

"Hope's grandmother is here," Hayley explained and with the look Marlenie gave her she sighed and briefly added, "It's marital issues. Hope and I are going home. You can go help Klaus. I heard they're at Jackson Square or something from a phone call Elijah made. If you go now, you can probably still catch him."

Marlenie's eyes lit up and she graciously hugged Hayley. "Thank you! Oh, thank you!"

Hayley laughed and pulled away. "Alright, alright, you can go!"

Marlenie scrambled to her feet but not before kissing Hope's head. "I have to go, baby sis. See you later!" she sped off.

~ 0 ~

Aurora was in genuine awe as Maleny finally told her the story of her curse cycle. After such a harsh hit, Maleny didn't have much energy to keep refusing. While the blonde sat on the floor in the center of all the unconscious men, Aurora listened while leaning against the cage's fence wall.

"So you're telling me you were actually my dear little cousin Cecilia?" Aurora had herself a good, mocking laugh. "Oh, now this is just too good!"

Maleny frowned. "Ticktock smartass - your ending is near. This won't last very long."

Aurora, surprised at such a response, sobered from her laugh and looked at the blonde with cocked eyebrows. "And what makes you think that? Will _you_ be the one to end me?"

"Clearly, not," Maleny shook her head then flashed a smile. "However I do think the people coming for me probably might."

"And just who do you think is coming for you?" Aurora crossed her arms. "Klaus? Please, the moment he hands over Tristan, I will make sure our spat ends and we'll be together again. And Lucien?" she scoffed. "If you think that man loves you, you are sadly mistaken."

"I think we've seen to what extent Lucien loves me," Maleny inputted. "For a thousand years his hatred for you has never diminished. You killed me, what do you think he'd do now when you two are equals?"

Aurora rolled her eyes and leaned off the cage fence. "Nothing, because if he lays a finger on me my brother Tristan will come after him. Besides, like I said, he doesn't love you. Do you know what he said to your daughter?" she slowly walked towards Maleny. "He wasn't so opposed to breaking your little mortal body as retaliation should anything happen to him." Maleny's eyes widened, both hurt and confused. Aurora continued, seeing the effects of her words. "He loved you, true, but as _Cecilia_ \- not this," she gestured to Maleny's current appearance. "Right now you're just the mind he loved, but your body means nothing."

"You're...you're lying," Maleny slowly got up to her feet, meeting Aurora face to face. "You're just that jealous of me you're lying."

"Jealous?" Aurora incredulously looked at the blonde. "Now why would I ever be jealous of you?"

"Why bring _me_ here?" Maleny got into her face. "Why put me in excessive danger? You said it yourself, I'm precious to Klaus. Because even when he was with you, I was still lurking in the back of his head. And now I even have Lucien. He's despised you for centuries, and even after he ran with you and Tristan pretending to be the Mikaelsons, he never could stop seeing you as what you were: the vindictive, crazy murderer."

Aurora snatched Maleny by the hair, forcing her to her knees. "Easy there _mortal_. You wouldn't want to lose those pretty eyes of yours - or perhaps a limb?"

Maleny yelped at the raw pain on her head, but Aurora didn't let go. "Then get to it! I'm not taking anything back."

"I must say you're a brave little one despite the fact you're going to die tonight," Aurora truthfully remarked.

Maleny scoffed. "I've been sacrificed in cold blood, lost my twins to sacrificial witches, faced Esther Mikaelson, been taken prisoner by Mikael - the vampire who hunted vampires - and I fought a pack of werewolves in the bayou on my own and faced a ravenous witch named Dahlia. You are nothing compared to all those people. You're just an annoying, jealous twat."

Aurora balled a fist as she raised Maleny up with her free hand. "You talk high and mighty for someone who died in such a pitiful way - begging and sobbing," she took on a mocking voice, "' _No, no, don't make me do it, Aurora. Please!_ '" she rolled her eyes and pushed Maleny backwards, causing the blonde to crash over a table.

The blonde panted as she tried standing on her own, but the sharp pain on her side from the crash prevented her from doing so. "Sadly, I don't remember that…"

Aurora tilted her head. "You don't...remember? How is that possible? It was a very commemorable night."

"I don't remember everything from my past lives," Maleny continued to explain, using the table to support herself. "I don't know what you did, except that you killed me."

"Oh, but we can't have that, can we?" Aurora clicked her tongue and smirked widely. "You need to know so that when I kill you again, you can compare the pain just before you close those eyes."

"I'm not dying today," Maleny declared, sounding far more sure than what she believed at the moment. "But, by all means, go ahead," she gestured. "I've been ever so curious of what happened."

"It was the same night Nik and his siblings were going to leave," Aurora began, looking more interested in her nails. "Elijah had compelled me to tell Nik all these foul things that I really didn't want to say. Heartbroken, I roamed the hallways where I found…"

* * *

 _A distraught, heartbroken Aurora walked down a hallway sobbing to herself. She had just sent the love of her life out her door, and she was fairly certain she would never see him again. But her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of familiar giggles not too far from her. Curious, Aurora sped up her walk and turned to a hall where her cousin, Cecilia, and Lucien were having a moment to themselves._

 _The mere sight of them caused a deep repugnance in the pit of her stomach. Lucien had Cecilia pressed against a wall and pepper-kissing her entire face. Cecilia giggled up until she was finally kissed on the lips. When Cecilia finally noticed they were no longer alone, she gasped and pulled away from the kiss._

 _"Aurora, what happened?" she immediately took notice of her cousin's face covered of tears._

 _Aurora gritted her teeth behind closed lips, feeling an enormous rage against the two lovers. Cecilia had no idea what was running through her head. She turned to Lucien, who was suspiciously staring at the redhead._

 _"I think I need to be with my cousin," she told him quietly. "Could we see each other tomorrow instead?"_

 _Lucien looked away from Aurora and softly smiled at Cecilia. "Of course."_

 _Cecilia chuckled as he pepper-kissed her face all over again. "Go!" she exclaimed, trying not to laugh so loudly. People were still wide awake and she didn't want anyone to find them._

 _When Lucien finally left, Cecilia focused entirely on Aurora. "Cousin," she walked up to the redhead, "what happened?" she reached to clear some tears off Aurora's face but Aurora grabbed her wrist instead. "Aurora, wha - ow!" she yelped when Aurora gripped her wrist so hard she actually felt one of her bones snap. "Aurora! What are you doing!?"_

 _Aurora pulled Cecilia towards her, a dangerous anger glinting in her eyes. "You are happy...the pathetic servant actually makes you happy?"_

 _Cecilia didn't understand what this had to do with anything. "Aurora, you are hurting me...ow!" she dropped to her knees when Aurora crushed her wrist entirely._

 _Before she knew it, Aurora had sped them to her bedroom. Cecilia was shoved forwards, stumbling to the floor._

 _"I don't...I don't know what to do…" Aurora began to pace back and forth, and when Cecilia glanced back to her cousin she could see she was not alright. "Elijah has...has ruined me! I hurt Nik and he's going to leave forever, and…"_

 _Cecilia blinked and slowly rose to her feet. "Aurora, please calm down."_

 _Aurora turned on her, a new flash of anger spreading across her face. "But you…" she whispered, as if it were just dawning on her, "you're so happy...happy with…"_

 _"Aurora," Cecilia motioned with her hands to once again calm down, "maybe you should rest-"_

 _"DO NOT TELL ME TO REST WHEN THE LOVE OF MY LIFE IS LEAVING ME!" Aurora suddenly screamed and sped up to Cecilia, the force taking them mere inches from the window._

 _And that's when Aurora realized what she had to do._

 _Her eyes flickered to the window, and remembering what Elijah did to her earlier, she tried her luck. "Turn to the window dear cousin."_

 _Before Cecilia could question the command, she obeyed and turned around. Confused, she looked down at her feet. "How did I... **why** did I…?"_

 _Aurora laughed in surprised. "I did it! I can actually do that…"_

 _"Aurora, what just happened?"_

 _Aurora looked to the side in thought, thinking of her next move._

 _"Aurora…?"_

 _Aurora sped to be in front of Cecilia, "Climb onto the window!" blurted, eagerly waiting to see if the results were the same._

 _Cecilia put her good hand on the wall and used it to climb up to the window sill. Her heart raced with utter fear. "Aurora, stop this!"_

 _Aurora maniacally laughed at her success. She walked towards her cousin, eager to continue. "Take one step forwards…"_

 _"Aurora!" Cecilia's voice shook as her foot took the ordered step. "Please...stop this. I don't...I don't understand…"_

 _Aurora looked out the window and saw the very field of lavender she had landed on when she turned. Her eyes drifted up to Cecilia, able to see the tears streaming down her face. At the perfect angle she would fall to the ground._

 _"Like I said, Nik is leaving me...and I don't like being unhappy…"_

 _"Aurora, don't make me…" Cecilia began when she realized what her cousin was intending on. "It's not my fault…"_

 _"No, it never has been, has it?" Aurora mocked her tone. "You are always so happy, and helpful, and it disgusts me. Now I am going to be alone and you'll still have Lucien? No, no, I find that completely unfair."_

 _Cecilia was sobbing by that point. She breathed in heavily, her hand clutching the hinge of the window. "No, no, don't make me do it, Aurora. Please!"_

 _Aurora felt a thrill hearing her cousin beg for her life and yet knowing it was impossible to escape. She stepped back to get a full view of the show she was going to direct._

 _"Cecilia, be a dear and step…"_

 _Cecilia shook her head, terrified. "No! LUCIEN!" she cried at the top of her lungs, no longer caring for their secret._

 _Aurora reacted fast then, knowing seconds were left. She pulled Cecilia down only to order her, "Step off the window **right now**!"_

 _She let go of Cecilia who instantly took the step she needed to and fell. Aurora quickly looked down in time to see her cousin hit the ground. It only took a second for people downstairs to rush outside._

* * *

Maleny felt overwhelmed by the memory she was getting brief flashes of. She found a new sense of disgust towards Aurora now that she knew the truth. "You murdered me because you were _jealous_? Are you kidding me!?"

"I murdered you because it wasn't fair!" Aurora snapped back.

"Oh, oh, that makes it better," Maleny put a hand over her chest as she tried to wrap her mind around it all.

"I don't know why you keep calling me murderer," Aurora huffed. "Or why everyone does it, for a matter of fact. Clearly, you avoided death. I'm curious though, how did you pull that off? I saw you," she stepped towards Maleny, "We all did. Lucien was there and he cradled your bleeding head. You. Were. _Dead_."

Maleny crookedly smiled at the heavy disappointment in Aurora's voice. "What part of I was thrown into a curse cycle with sacrificial witches did you _not_ understand?

"But that's impossible!"

"I'm curious, when you were compelled to run away as Rebekah, was that before or after you had a funeral for me?"

The question made Aurora realize she had left before truly seeing Cecilia buried down into the ground.

Maleny saw that too and laughed. "I'm sorry dear, but I was probably taken by one of the witches before the family could bury me. I came back to life - did I mention I could do that? It was all part of the curse. I would tell you if you had complaints you could take it up with the witches responsible for it, buuuut…" she innocently smiled, biting the tip of her index nail, "Klaus sort of wiped them all out for me. Oops."

Aurora raged as she sped up to Maleny. "You think you're so important," she growled, pushing Maleny back. "But in the end you're simply a meal for anyone to take…"

Maleny hissed as her back hit the fence cage. "I'm the incentive…"

" _Blood bag_ ," Aurora repeated herself, a wide smirk taking place on her face.

Maleny didn't waste a second of reasoning when she kicked Aurora in the stomach and made a run for it. She didn't intend on escaping, she just wanted to find something to defend herself with. Her magic was not an option with how weak she felt. But, just like the first attempt of escape, she didn't make it far.

Aurora stood in front of her, eyes dark with anger. "You're going to regret that one…" she bared her fangs and lunged for the blonde who screamed instantly.

~ 0 ~

"This is pointless," Lucien complained yet again after finding no clues of Aurora in Jackson Square.

Klaus, who stood not too far from him, glanced his way. "For someone who claims to love this kidnapped woman you don't seem very motivated to find her."

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Of course I'd like to find her, but Aurora has made it more tedious than it needs to be. Maleny sure has a way of complicating things, doesn't she?"

His more or less insult made it difficult for Klaus to stay focused on the task. He turned away from Lucien, eyes scanning the market stalls. Something shiny caught his eye in one of the market stalls. While Lucien looked elsewhere, Klaus approached the stall and lifted the pendant of Maleny's golden necklace. He saw there was small, green charm of felt taped on a side of the display.

It was that of St. Ann's.

~ 0 ~

Following Aya's instructions, Cami made it to the compound for Tristan. However, she planned on doing something very differently, though she was frustrated Elijah wouldn't even let her explain her plan.

"Camille, this is utter treachery!" Elijah was in the middle of accusing her. "I knew you were upset with me, that you were angry, but to actually come in and-"

Cami groaned loudly and motioned with her hands for him to stop. "You need to stop already! This little torturing thing you got going on won't last much longer. The Strix _will_ come for Tristan. Now it's just a matter of _how_ they will come. Will they destroy half the Quarter in the process? Or will you please just listen-"

Elijah sped up to her, coming face to face with her. "I can handle The Strix."

Cami scoffed and pushed him away, more for her blush. "You couldn't even deal with Tristan. He's about to OD on wolf venom, and the only thing that you can get out of him is the word 'Cepheus'," she mockingly clapped at him. "You're doing a fine job. This guy has been around for a millennium. He can withstand all your vampire mind-games. And if you end up killing him, we lose Rebekah for good."

"So what are you suggesting here?" Elijah arched an eyebrow. "I simply hand over this wretched fiend and stand idly by as you set him free?"

"I am suggesting you listen to my idea," Cami sighed. "I need to take Tristan back so that I can have the Strix's full trust. Hell, I can find out where Rebekah is and keep them from declaring war on the Quarter if you trust me."

Elijah was much to frantic to listen to some idea. His hatred went farther than Cami could ever imagine. "I will not release that filth."

Cami was left standing alone in the hallway, evidently hurt by the lack of trust between them despite all she had done in the past for his cause.

~ 0 ~

"I'm only saying we find another way to deal with Aurora than follow blindly along her bread-crumb trail," Lucien told Klaus as the two came into the parking lot of the church.

Klaus whirled around, his patience - which hadn't been good from the start - reaching the 'zero' spot. "I've been gracious enough to allow you to keep talking today despite the deep hatred I feel for you. I am getting Maleny back and-"

"And then what?" Lucien challenged, stepping up. "You'll take her back home? Hmm, last time I remembered you kicked her out. You don't honestly think she'll forget all that, do you? She's been with me, and I doubt she has any desire to go back to the home that turned its back on her-"

Someone had sped up behind him and snapped his neck. Klaus watched the man go down to the ground with slight amusement but was stunned to see Marlenie standing behind the body.

Marlenie was looking down at Lucien with a grim face. "God I just hate him," she muttered.

"Marlenie!? What the hell do you think you're doing?" but Klaus' angry question didn't faze Marlenie.

"What does it look like I'm doing? Helping you save Mum," she shrugged.

"I specifically told you to stay at home-"

"And I didn't come to this Quarter to stay home while my family battles out in the streets."

"This is not your fight!"

"Yes it is!" Marlenie exclaimed. "Aurora is my opposing sireline therefore she's _my_ enemy too. But above all," she sighed and stepped over Lucien's body, "she kidnapped my mother. I want to help."

Klaus looked at her a moment before sighing with resignation. "I should have figured you would escape home anyways - Maleny has the irritating custom."

Marlenie beamed at hearing another similarity between her and her mother. "So, what's the plan?"

~ 0 ~

Inside the church/gym, Aurora was clearing her face of blood with a towel after her 'snack'. Meanwhile, Maleny laid on her stomach on the floor, barely conscious as the fresh blood ran down her neck down to the open cuts of her blouse. Even part of her hair had been left wet with blood.

"Do you know what I just thought of?" Aurora inquired, turning around to the blonde while dabbing at the corner of her mouth with the towel. "You and I are nothing alike."

"Got that...right," Maleny feebly replied, struggling to lift herself from the floor. Her arms shook and she nearly went down again. "You're a murderer...deranged...and…plain evil."

"Aw," Aurora pretended to pout as she walked towards her. "I may very well be all those things, but do you know what I have never done?"

"No, and frankly...I'm not...interested - ah!" Maleny yelped when Aurora grabbed her by the hair, forcing her gaze up.

Aurora leaned down beside Maleny's ear and dramatically whispered, "I never played with two hearts before." She let go of Maleny's hair, distastefully rubbing her blood stained fingers. "I was always loyal to Nik. I love him, why wouldn't I be?" she looked down at Maleny, seeing the guilt filling up her blue eyes. "But you? You are one sadistic, hypocrite. You say you've been Nik's first love but in the end you left him for the stable boy. Then, after 2 weeks of making Lucien think you love him just like you used to...you now wait to be rescued by the former."

Maleny was able to pull herself into a sitting position with her legs to one side. "It wasn't like that…" she spoke quietly.

"Oh please," Aurora rolled her eyes. "Was that not the intention when you ran back to Lucien?"

"I don't...know…"

"Of course you knew!" Aurora snapped and turned to Maleny. "You needed to feel loved, so what did you do? You ran back to a lovesick imbecile from a thousand years." She squatted down beside Maleny, about to add more when Maleny cut in.

"Funny, I'm pretty sure...that's what Klaus did two weeks ago," she pointedly looked at Aurora.

Aurora scowled but controlled herself due to the blonde's life literally hanging from a thread. She couldn't feed off anymore without killing Maleny. "Your humor won't be enough to cover your guilt this time, sweetheart. At least I can admit to what I have done. But you? How do you plan on leaving this place should you make it out alive? Will you be able to look either Lucien or Nik in the eyes? Or," she chuckled, "what about your twins? What will they think of you when they see their precious mummy-"

But Aurora couldn't finish her words due to Marlenie speeding into the room and throwing her against the cage fence. "I actually feel just fine in regards to my mother," she put her hands on her hips. "Though when it comes to you, hm," Marlenie stepped towards Aurora who was peeling herself off the cage fence, "I want to murder you on the spot. How I will do so still remains unknown. Pull the heart out? Cut the head off?"

"Marlenie," Klaus' voice rang throughout the entire room as he came in. "Get away from her."

"Yes, father," Marlenie replied and stepped back until she was beside Maleny.

The presence of Marlenie with Klaus confounded Maleny...not to mention Marlenie's last words. Maleny looked between the two for a while, but it didn't last long when her guilt caught up with her.

"Stop this game," Klaus looked at Aurora, doing his best not to look like he too wanted to murder her at the moment.

Aurora scoffed. "This is not a game, Nik! This is an _intervention_. You're in danger of losing the love of your life...me."

Marlenie rolled her eyes then, mouthing 'Oh my God'...something that made Maleny dimly smile. When Marlenie looked down, however, Maleny instantly looked back down to the floor. Miraculously, Aurora had been right about something - she couldn't look her twins, nor Klaus, in the eyes without feeling shame.

Aurora walked towards Klaus but Marlenie purposely stepped into her way. Glowering, Aurora continued. "We're finally together after so long apart, all the world before us, if can just dodge a few minor obstacles. Like this nuisance of a prophecy, my brother's internment, the insufferable influence of Elijah... But what I cannot overcome is your affections for someone else. I've waited far too long to share you now."

"Okay," Marlenie cut in again, ignoring Aurora's massive death glare. "We have reached the irrelevant point in this conversation so I'll just be taking my mother now…" she turned back for Maleny but before she took one step Aurora sped up beside Maleny.

"I don't think so," she yanked Maleny by the arm, forcing the blonde to stand up.

"This is pointless, Aurora!" Klaus, doing well to hide his concern, called to her. "You cannot actually believe she means anything to me…"

"But I do believe it, Nik! I see it, the fear in your eyes," Aurora frantically exclaimed. "Do you actually love her?"

"You know I love you," Klaus tilted his head, trying to figure out her next move already.

Aurora smiled in relief, and suddenly her entire demeanor changed. "I'm so glad you admitted that. I wanted Maleny to hear it…" but then her hand on Maleny's arm switched places with her neck, "...before I rip out her throat."

Feeling her throat being crushed, Maleny gasped for air. Marlenie became furious. "That's it!" she lunged for Aurora but the redhead proved more clever and sped to a different location in the room.

Now standing just outside the entrance of the cage, Aurora coldly looked at Klaus. "I have to say I don't very much care for your rude daughter. I can handle the little one, but this one cannot remain with us my love."

As Marlenie turned to face Aurora, panting in fury, Klaus reached for her to bring her back. Warning her with a mere look to stay still, he replied to Aurora. "Honestly, Aurora...these petty displays are so far beneath you. Wild scavenger hunts, threats against innocent acquaintances... They cast you in a very unflattering light. Jealousy's more my game."

"Oh," Aurora rolled her eyes, "would that I didn't have the need for it."

"Why should you? Maleny is no rival to you. Your fears are ridiculous."

"Nik, I have no doubt that you love me. I was just hurt to learn that you would lower yourself to this distraction…"

Maleny was shoved in the direction towards Klaus. And with little strength, she fell to her knees. But throughout it all, Maleny couldn't bring herself to look at Klaus, for she truly didn't know if he was speaking the truth or not. She didn't have much of a face to demand clarification.

"Especially after the foul game she's played with you and Lucien," Aurora went on, smirking as she discreetly watched Maleny lower her gaze. "Only the real wicked play with two men at a time, don't you think?" She walked to where the blonde laid, picking her up by the arm. "And then acting like she's done nothing - my God if that doesn't spell 'fake' I don't know what will. I mean, have you even considered the idea that perhaps that one," she nodded towards Marlenie, "and the other twin, aren't even yours? But Lucien's?"

Maleny then cleared her throat before anyone could say something. "You didn't actually just say that…?"

Aurora barely registered the question when Maleny mustered enough energy to backhand her across the face. Enraged by the idiotic action, Aurora turned on her with strike over the head that easily knocked Maleny out.

Seeing no more point in playing nice, Klaus sped across the room to pin Aurora against the cage wall. Aurora laughed as she looked past him where Marlenie rushed up to Maleny.

"Oh, poor, frail little thing. How sad you involved her in this."

Klaus glanced back to Marlenie, both exchanging nods before speeding himself and Aurora out of the church.

~ 0 ~

"Elijah! We aren't done!" Cami followed the Original out of the downstairs living room, masking her pain with anger.

"I rather we think are, Camille," Elijah corrected, angry himself.

"Why? Because _you_ decided so?" Cami reached out and forcibly turned Elijah around. "Isn't this what led to our argument in the first point?"

"I don't have time for this," Elijah has what Cami considered a warning look...and that only infuriated her more.

"Good, because I don't have time for this either," she crossed her arms. "You are forcing me to be what you have considered me the moment I joined the Strix: a betrayer."

Elijah narrowedly watched her pull out from her jacket's pocket the blade Aya gave her earlier. He then turned around as he heard footsteps nearing them, and was stunned to see at least a dozen suit-clad Strix members coming in from every entrance possible.

Slowly, Elijah turned to Cami, a mixture of hurt and rage on his face.

Cami upheld a perfect, cold glare towards him. "I'm sorry, but you forced me to do this."

"You expect me to _fight_ you?" Elijah asked, clearly conflicted.

Cami made a face and shrugged. "Fight, surrender...I really don't care the manner. Point is, this," she gestured to the blade in her hand, "must somehow, in the process, be in your chest."

"Camille O'Connell, you have overstepped yourself this time," Elijah declared, and while his heart broke further than what he thought was possible he stepped towards her. "For my family, I will fight even you."

A brief flash of pain crossed Cami's features, but she covered it up with a laugh as she put away the blade in her pocket again. "Just like last time…" and she prepared herself to fight.

~ 0 ~

Meanwhile, inside the church, Marlenie was helping Maleny sit up as the blonde came to after Aurora's hit. "It's okay, you'll be fine now," Marlenie assured her. She only made distasteful faces when she saw the nasty cuts and bruises on Maleny's face and the ones peeking out from the open sleeves of her arms,.

Maleny wasn't seeming to mind so much of her injuries as she stared at Marlenie. "You…" her frail voice said, "...you're... _my_ …" Marlenie knew what she was trying to say and chuckled, the tears just coming to her the more Maleny stared. Maleny inched closer to Marlenie, placing a shaky hand on the vampire's face. "Marlenie?" she whispered.

Marlenie nervously chuckled again as she nodded. "Aha...hello, mother." She couldn't resist any longer and hugged Maleny with as much urgency as possible.

Maleny was surprised by the hug, feeling it different than any other hug she'd ever received. It was her _daughter_...she had a _daughter_. The idea was strange, but when she thought of Nicolas she felt an incredible joy in her stomach knowing she not only had a son but a daughter - she had _two_ kids!

~ 0 ~

Hayley had heard the ongoing fight in the compound from across the street in her apartment. She ignored the pleads of Mary to stay away and went to join the fight. She didn't expect for there to be so many of there Strix, but she wasn't planning on going easy on them. When defeating her share, she moved onto Elijah but saw he had also defeated other Strix members.

"You mind explaining what the hell is going on?" Hayley sharply demanded.

"Isn't it obvious," Elijah turned to her, "The Strix have come for Tristan. Where is Camille?"

Hayley blinked. "She was here?"

"Still here actually," they heard Cami's voice right before Elijah felt a gruesome pain on from his back. Cami had stabbed him from the back through his heart. She lowered him to the ground as his skin began turning gray and desiccated.

Hayley watched the entire ordeal with shock and, frankly, betrayal. "Cami?"

The blonde rested Elijah on the ground and stood back up. "I don't do the fighting - I'm cleverer than that."

Before Hayley said even a word, several more of the Strix swarmed into the room and surrounded her. She had to go up against them while Cami silently watched from behind. While Hayley did manage to kill most of the members, two of them survived and pinned her to a wall. One of them proceeded to choke her until Cami had enough and sped up to them, pulling their hearts out from behind.

As Hayley dropped to the ground and coughed to catch her breath, Cami stepped back and blankly looked at her. "It goes without saying - I didn't use the actual blade on him," her eyes flickered to Elijah's neutralized body on the floor. Hayley watched, with curiosity, as Cami's eyes softened up.

"Tell him not to be angry with me," she requested meekly. "I only did what he did to me when he decided to dagger Klaus. Difference is...I wanted to tell him."

Before Hayley could say a word to her, she sped away. Her final act was to go and heal Freya with her blood, knowing Aya had probably lethally hurt her.

~ 0 ~

Outside the church, Klaus was dragging Aurora towards the parking lot. While he looked angrier than ever, Aurora was more like a child as she treated it all with amusement.

"Oh, you're quite cross, aren't you? I haven't seen you this mad in a thousand years."

"If you don't behave yourself, you'll see a lot worse," Klaus made sure to coldly warn, his tone making Aurora snap out of her childish behavior.

She jerked out of his grip and glared. "I don't much like that tone! Although, given what I did to Rebekah, I suppose it's to be expected. Unless the source of your ire is the threat I made against your little pet…" she purposely trailed off to see what the reaction from Klaus would be. As she presumed, his eyes narrowed down on her in that dangerous murderous way she had only seen placed on others. "You really do care about her, don't you? Well, now I suppose I shall have to kill her."

Wrong statement.

Klaus used his speed to slam the woman against a wall of a nearby building. Aurora chuckled. "Ooh, are we to play rough now? Foreplay's changed in the last millennium." She switched places with him so that she was pinning him against the wall. "Tell me, can your pathetic Maleny excite you the way that I can? Can she allow you the joy of giving into your most wicked desires?" she desperately tugged his jacket's lapels.

"I tire of this fantasy," Klaus pushed her away. "You were someone I left behind long ago...and as someone said to me before, the past is meant to stay in the past."

Aurora stepped away from him, her eyes filling with tears as she realized her tremendous mistake. "You're angry. We say things to hurt each other when we're angry. That's what lovers do. But I know that I'm the one for you. As I know that you will thank me- eventually- for killing your little human pet."

Klaus sneered. "You presume to know me? Then know this- I will gladly end you for what you did to Maleny," he mockingly laughed then, "If Marlenie doesn't get to you first. Though perhaps I could use you as a lesson for her. Because that's what fathers do, don't they? They teach. And the first lesson will be to teach her how to torture. Because I swear to you I will make you suffer in ways your spoiled little mind cannot possibly imagine. And when it's over…" he snatched Aurora by the arms, pushing her back, "...when your sweet recollections have been rendered obsolete, you will associate my name with fear and pain, and perhaps the dull realization that you-" he slammed her back to the wall, ignoring her terrified whimpers, "-are nothing to me."

Aurora gasped when he grabbed her head to finally find out the coordinates of Rebekah's body through the mind. When he memorized the coordinates, he broke it off and backtracked quite proudly.

"You went into my mind…" Aurora said in utter pain.

"And took the only thing I needed from you," Klaus nodded. "So...what's to stop me from killing you now?"

~ 0 ~

"I don't understand…" Maleny was still studying her daughter from head to toe, "...why didn't you...why did you…"

"Why didn't I tell you right away?" Marlenie figured her question. Maleny nodded and allowed her to help get her up. Her legs wobbled a little but Marlenie held her with a good grip. "Because you said you were having problems with Dad, so...I didn't want to add to the conflict by saying I was your daughter. I wanted to wait, and…"

Maleny sighed. "I think you got a lousy bargain, my dear."

"I don't think so," Marlenie softly smiled at her.

Maleny returned the smile for a minute when she caught site of one of the unconscious men Aurora turned begin waking up. Marlenie followed her gaze and saw the entire group of men begin waking.

"Ah, it never ends," Marlenie treated it with weariness. She gently helped Maleny lean against the cage wall. "Now please, mother, just stay still."

"I don't have much of a choice," Maleny admitted, rubbing at the killer headache she was mustering through.

Marlenie chuckled and turned away. "Now boys, we can do this the nice way - I can fetch you blood...or you can die."

"We have to feed," one of the men declared, already making hungry eyes towards Maleny. "Marcel told us what would happen - we feed or we die."

Marlenie rolled her eyes but quickly reacted when another made a dangerous advance on her mother. "Back off!" she commanded, lunging on him to begin the battle.

~ 0 ~

Aurora was devastated by the backfire of her plan, and cried. "But I love you, and I know that you love me!"

Klaus was more or less bored with her declarations. He was deciding whether it would be a good idea to kill her there, or wait til Tristan could see it happen. He became distracted by the carrying sounds from the church.

"Marlenie! Watch out!"

The sounds of fighting worried Klaus more and so he sped back to the church, leaving Aurora mid-sentence. He arrived at the scene to find Marlenie in the middle of snapping a man's neck. She had taken down most of the group but there were still two more trying to make their way towards Maleny.

"Hey, get away from her!" Marlenie turned towards them, about to speed up to them when Klaus beat her to it.

He grabbed one of the man by the arm and snapped his back. He let the body drop and then quickly did the same to the remaining man. Maleny winced when the last body fell to the floor. Klaus pulled her from the cage wall into his arms, simply needing to have her with him again. Maleny gasped, at first surprised he would _want_ to touch her. When she felt his grip tighten, she knew all would be well and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck, stifling a sob behind her lips.

Behind them stood Marlenie who beaming silently. 'Thank God,' she mouthed up to the ceiling.

~ 0 ~

"Here you go," Cami handed over a vial of blood to Aya, the two along with Tristan, in her living room. Aya took the vial rather suspiciously. "It's Klaus' blood - I got it from a friend," and boy would she owe Marcel a lot for that favor. "It'll heal Tristan, I promise."

The women gazed back to Tristan on the couch, the man worse for wear after several bites from Hayley. Aya slowly went to him and had him drink the blood. Almost immediately Tristan felt his wounds healing.

"Aye, you've proven yourself quite helpful, Camille," he praised the blonde. "You have my gratitude."

"We should go," Aya announced and helped Tristan to his feet. "There's much to do." She glanced at Cami as they made their way to the door. "Cami, we'll be in touch."

Cami blinked, looking mildly irritated. "Um, _no_ ," she said and made Aya stop. "I did not just bust my ass off fighting for the Strix, being forced to go up against one of the oldest vampires when I don't even have two years of vampire life! And not to mention because _you_ -" she waggled a finger at Aya, "-came into _my_ house, _uninvited_ , and forced me to become a marked woman. I don't know if you know this but loyalty is a two way street. Where's your loyalty to _me_?"

Aya frowned. "We have every intention of making good on-"

"Please don't give me that stupid lie," Cami sighed, rolling her eyes. "Today was proof. You need me on your side. But, if this is how you treat your friends, I might not be there the next time."

Offended by the way she was spoken to, Aya meant to for Cami. However, Tristan stopped her, looking more impressed by the blonde. "She's right. Camille, you've earned a place at our side and everything that entails."

Cami nodded, trying to not to look so relieved that her fake boldness had worked on the two.

~ 0 ~

In the compound, Freya was studying the enchanted blade Cami had left behind after healing her. When she heard Elijah and Hayley coming into the living room, she looked up and sighed. "This stake was imbued with dark magic. It's strong enough to take down even you."

"So apparently The Strix has no shortage of weapons," Elijah rubbed his face, frustrated.

"Well, at least they don't have Cami," Hayley felt the need to add, but was quickly shot down by Elijah - or at least he tried to.

"I'm not so sure about that," he turned to leave when she grabbed his arm.

"Don't tell me you actually bought into that whole charade, Elijah," she warningly looked at him. "She saved me, she healed Freya, and she didn't use the blade on you. Not to mention she left the true blade here for us." Elijah remained silent, looking elsewhere. Hayley rolled her eyes and continued on. "I saw the way she looked at you before leaving. Elijah, that was _not_ the look of a traitor. Plus, she said she wanted to tell you the plan. You're smarter than this."

With that, she left Elijah to think about it. Knowingly smiling, Freya got up from her spot and took the blade with her to study it somewhere else. A minute later, Elijah felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, he saw a text message from Cami.

' _Would you like to know what Cepheus is? I'm willing to share if you're willing to listen this time._ '

A warm smile spread across Elijah's face as he responded back to the message.

~ 0 ~

Aurora lonesomely sat on a park bench in full tears. Not even Lucien coming to sit with her took her out of her misery.

"I never thought I would say this," Lucien sucked in a breath, looking more or less disappointed by the events of today, "But you and I...have been turned into the same thing."

Aurora glanced at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

Lucien met her look with amusement. "We were the simple distractions for Klaus and Maleny during their spat moment." The realization made Aurora sob even more, not that Lucien cared as he went on. "I mean, I gave Maleny everything she could possibly need and want. She wanted to turn and I offered her that from the start...but she didn't take. I didn't see it befofre, but she wanted to turn by _Klaus_ not me. In the final moment, she never looked back to see where I was."

And it was true, he believed. He'd came back from Marlenie's snap-of-neck in time to see her and Klaus took a weakened Maleny out of the church. Maleny looked far too comfortable in Klaus' arms as they walked off.

That was something he wouldn't forget.

~ 0 ~

Now showered and changed into pajamas, Maleny sat on the couch of the the compound den with a blanket over her legs. Marlenie sat on the ground, leaning against the couch holding a magazine in front of her.

"And you should see it!" Marlenie was in the middle of saying. "I had this entire line of gowns be reversible!"

"Reversible?" Maleny made a face, still wonderstruck by the fashion idea.

"Oh yeah!" Marlenie nodded. "I thought it would be a silly idea that the humans would eat right up. And so far it's worked out well for me. I made thousands off them and…" she turned her head to see her mother wearily looking back at her, blinking languidly. Marlenie put the magazine just beside Maleny's leg, shifting to face Maleny completely. "And you don't really care about this, do you?" she arched an eyebrow, chuckling.

"No, no!" Maleny took the magazine into her hands and opened it up, passing the pages full of Marlenie's clothing designs. "First I get the surprise of finding out I have a daughter, and now that she leads a designer company? Of course I'm interested. I want to know every single detail about you, Marlenie."

"I want to know all about you too," Marlenie smiled. "But I think we can get started on the 'me' part," she giggled as she pushed herself to her knees and scooted closer to Maleny. "I can show you memories of me...and even Nick!"

Maleny softly smiled, nodding her head. "I would love to see that."

Overexcited, Marlenie jumped on the chance. She put her index fingers on Maleny's temples, focusing on the memories she wanted to show. However, for some reason, it wouldn't work. With eyes closed, she couldn't see Maleny struggling not to doze off there and then.

"Why isn't it working?" Marlenie pulled away with a childish huff.

"Because your mother is tired, clearly," Klaus was the one to answer her when he came into the room. Marlenie looked back at him, mildly disappointed. "Her mind needs to rest."

Maleny sheepishly met his look but stayed quiet. Marlenie looked between them and cleared her throat. "Well then, I guess I should go make your bed," she patted Maleny's hand and got up. "Because, you _are_ going to stay here right?" she looked between her parents again.

"I…" Maleny barely got to look at her changed clothes when Marlenie answered for her.

"Of course you are!" she cheered and kissed Maleny's head. "I'll go set everything up!" she announced and hurried off.

Maleny cleared her throat awkwardly and feebly said. "I, uh...think I'm staying tonight."

"It appears so," Klaus said, trying to act nonchalant as he sat beside her on the couch. "I _would_ like you to stay here, though...where I can protect you."

Maleny sighed, "Because clearly I am once again in need of babysitting."

"Mal-"

"It wasn't to be rude," Maleny clarified before Klaus say more. "I was trying to...lighten up this awkward mood."

"I honestly think there's no way to come back from it," Klaus, amused, smiled at her.

Slightly disappointed, Maleny nodded. "Yeah, I was afraid of that."

There passed another moment of silent awkwardness until Klaus remembered he harbored something important of hers. He reached inside his jacket's pocket and pulled out Maleny's golden necklace. "I believe this belongs to you?" he held it towards her.

Maleny gasped and her eyes lit up at the sight of her prized possession. "My necklace!" She scooted closer and took it, gazing in relief at its fine condition. "Aurora took it from me...I thought I would never see it again." She looked up at Klaus, almost to tears. "Every time I think it's lost forever you always give it back. Thank you."

"I feel it's probably the least I could do after...today," Klaus sighed, the guilt rapidly mounting over his shoulders.

Almost seeing the guilt, Maleny shook her head and shifted to sit side by side with him. "Let's be honest, I had to see that woman some time. And, while most of the things she said was utter crap...she was right about one thing: I am a wicked, fake woman."

"What?" Klaus looked at her, completely lost on how she came up with that conclusion.

"I played with two hearts," Maleny whispered, now guilty herself as she forced herself to look him directly in the eyes. "And that is _nowhere_ near the woman I _ever_ want to be."

"You're not," Klaus said with so much certainty that Maleny could almost believe it.

"I am," Maleny sighed. "Look, I'm going to be honest here, and you can go into another fit rage with me but it's the truth. Yeah, I loved Lucien in the past, and I will _not_ apologize for that." The look on Klaus' face told her she was definitely on the track of getting another wave of anger from him. "I shouldn't have to apologize, Klaus! I wasn't myself and you know that. Besides, I don't hear you apologizing for you loving Aurora."

"That is..." it appeared Klaus was about to go in a tangent in his defense but Maleny was pretty darn sure she knew what it would sound like and so said it herself.

"Completely different because it was, oh I don't know, _you_?" she waited with arms crossed. "That excuse is not going to be accepted. The truth is not pretty and it's not something we like to talk about apparently but here it is: you loved someone that wasn't me, and I loved someone else that wasn't you. But..." she looked him in the eyes again, terribly nervous, "...I believe what is more important is who we love _now_."

But, of course, neither would answer in that moment. Everything was too raw, too conflicting.

"Whatever our answers are-" Maleny began after a moment, "-there's one thing I would like to apologize for. Because after everything, I still expected you to come rescue me like you had an obligation to."

"I had to!" Klaus frowned, thinking this should have been an obvious. "Aurora took you because I angered her."

"But you still didn't have to," Maleny insisted. "It should have fallen on Lucien, but…" she bitterly laughed and looked to the side, "...I heard that to him I'm just breakable and difficult to love because I'm no longer his 'Cecilia de Ark'."

"You didn't lose-" Klaus was just going to say but Maleny scoffed loudly. "You haven't," he insisted, nervously reaching to touch her face. He wasn't sure if she would allow him to do so, but when she did nothing and attentively waited for him to continue he felt better. "You still have a home here, you have a family. Plus, there is a little sarcastic, almost teenage behaving, vampire running around here now that's eager to follow you around."

Maleny chuckled as she thought of Marlenie. "Right…"

"And…" Klaus added after a minute, more nervous then, "...I don't know how you view _me_ anymore, but…"

"Oh, you mean the moody hybrid that can occasionally give me headaches?" Maleny quirked an eyebrow up, making him chuckle a minute. She sighed when it became awkwardly quiet again. "Whatever happens, just know, please, that no matter what, I don't ever want anything to happen to you. That's why I snuck the medallion into Amarrah's bag. I do have affection for Lucien," that small phrase wounded Klaus unlike anything else in his lifetime had, but thankfully enough Maleny continued on (unbeknownst to her unintentional shot), "but you are my family, you and everyone else here."

"Thank you," Klaus shared a small smile with her.

Maleny nodded, and when the silence quickly returned to them, she didn't feel as awkward anymore. But there was one last thing to bring up, and it did embarrass her a little due to what it entailed.

"So…" she cleared her throat, looking down to her twiddling fingers, "...we have a... _daughter_ …"

Klaus nodded, still in awe of the new concept. "Aha. Freya did the blood spell and...she's ours. Though really we could just compare tempers to know the truth."

Maleny laughed softly. "Yeah, I heard she made a spectacle on Thanksgiving."

"You should have seen her," Klaus said, sounding immensely proud. "She threw knives at Lucien so strategically - if only she had bit of a better aim she would have gotten him. Not to mention the chairs she broke."

Maleny smiled. "Klaus, has it actually sunk in yet? We...have _twins_? Did you ever think that we would come this far?"

"Up until last year, I thought you were dead...so...no," Klaus admitted and shook his head.

"Didn't I give you the surprise of a life time?" she playfully nudged him.

"Yes, you did," Klaus answered her, his voice suddenly soft. Maleny upheld the look he had on her but eventually her weariness caught up with her and she accidentally let a yawn slip from her lips. "Mal, would you like to go to sleep now?" Klaus asked, trying not to look so amused by her childish sleepy face.

"That...would be nice, yes," Maleny nodded.

Klaus stood up from the couch and promptly picked her up, not too surprised she hadn't refused his gesture as her eyes fell shut only seconds after. Missing the warmth she gave him, Klaus purposely walked slower towards her room. He needed to soak up all that he had lost for two weeks.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

You guuuuuys this was one of my favorite chapters, but you wanna know my all time fave? The next one. Oh my god you'll love what happens in the next one! *squeals*. But anyways, what did you think of this one? Mal & Aurora moments were both fun and interesting to portray. One is so crazy and the other so sarcastic...that could have never ended well *sigh*. And what about Cami? If only Elijah would shut up and listen am I right? My poor girls need to catch a break lol.

Alsooooo, just to introduce Marlenie's visual reference I view her to look like the actress _**Fabiola Guajarado**_ with long, black hair but with blue eyes! When her brother comes in he'll also be given a visual reference!

So I was counting the chapters for this story and because I happened to combine some episodes into one, this story only has 18 chapters in total. As of now, there are 12 chapters left .-. closing on single digits I'm afraid. But I mean I guess that's good in a way because it then gives me opportunities to post new stories that I recently finished drafting now. One is for the CW (can you guess what show? Hint: it's not a vampire one this time) and another for Doctor Who (if you read those) and I plan on posting those two soon as I get out of school. I can't wait for those OCs to come to life!

 _ **For Reviews:**_

Dude I loved these episodes too, especially because they had a lot of references to my ship on the show. Aww, really!? I'm gushing for real okay! I'm so happy you like the story so much *insert heart emoji here*. Gross, Aurora *gags*. I hated her so much like you would not believe it. Lucien and Tristan were so much better like I really did not understand the point in bringing in this other character who brought nothing except for the old ex story line. You made my night reading this review honestly. I know it's cheesy when writers say things like this but you have no idea how much it really means when someone drops by a praise for their stories. So honestly, thank you so much! And don't even fret about a long review - I love those!

Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter as well then! :)

Well whaddya think now for poor Mal lol? But I mean, during her kidnapping she did get some good burns to Aurora - I laughed sometimes when I went back edit some of her lines xD. I love Mal so much honestly. Aaaaaaaah I need to see that movie but since my finals are coming up I've got no time so hopefully I can see it next month along with another movie I want to see xD. My fave has always been Sleeping Beauty tbh. I'm a bit pressed that so far she's the only princess that got a movie that wasn't entirely on her - Maleficient. Like I loooved that movie so much but I want them to redo Sleeping Beauty in live action like they've done with Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast...it's only fair! *sniffles*

Buuuut did you love this one more? ;)

Well I've updated now and I really hope you liked this chapter! :)

* * *

Next chapter is the Christmas episode and guys...I'm warning you...you're gonna freak...for various things...you'll love it :D


	7. As Long as I Have You

_"Mummy! Mummy!" a young, five year old, Marlenie came running inside the cottage where Maleny, in the body of Iris Velden, was separating straps of cloths the witches had ordered her to do._

 _"What is it, Marls?" Maleny looked up momentarily to see the girl looking crossed as ever._

 _"It's Nick, he won't let me play with him," Marlenie huffed and crossed her arms. "He won't share the wood with me."_

 _Maleny smiled. "And why not?"_

 _"Because he's making something special," Marlenie rolled her eyes, grumbling. "He can't make anything, Mummy!"_

 _Maleny chuckled and went back to the cloths. "Don't be mean, Marlenie. He is, after all, only five years old - like you are."_

 _Marlenie ignored her mother and dashed for their room, seconds later returning with the wooden craft of two joined stars in her hands. "No one will be better than Daddy, though," she sprinted back to Maleny. "Don't you think, Mummy?"_

 _Maleny briefly glanced at the craft, no longer easy to see the craft without shedding tears. "Of course, but I bet if Nicolas keeps practicing, he might be able be just as good as your father."_

 _Marlenie grinned at the craft, just like she always did when she held the craft in her hands. But when she looked up and saw her mother silently working, her smile waned. "Mummy, why don't we run away?" Maleny froze in the midst of her work. "Why don't we go find Daddy?" Marlenie climbed onto Maleny's lap, innocently looking at the woman. "I want to see him."_

 _Maleny sighed and wrapped an arm around the small girl. "Marls, you know why we can't do it."_

 _"Because the bad witches…" Marlenie glumly said, looking down at the craft._

 _"Hey," Maleny gently swayed her, pressing a kiss on Marlenie's dark hair, "Now you know what I told you - you and your brother - about your father. Can you tell me?"_

 _Marlenie sighed and proceeded to recite the words she had heard since she could remember. "Nick and I will find Daddy as long as we're under the same stars."_

 _"Exactly," Maleny took the craft from Marlenie and held it in front of them both. "Your father travels all the time, but no matter where he ends up at, you and your brother can find him. The stars are the same, and no matter where I am, you know that I will always love you."_

 _Marlenie looked up at her mother, teary-eyed. "But I want you to be with us, Mummy."_

 _Knowing it was impossible, Maleny became teary-eyed as well. "I would like that too, sweetheart, but Mummy made a bad decision that got her into this mess. But wherever I am after this, you look up to those stars, Marls, and remember that I am with you - will **always** be with you."_

 _Marlenie sniffed and leaned on her mother's chest. "Always and forever," she reminded, wrapping her small arms around Maleny's waist._

 _She may have been only five, but Marlenie knew that her mother would soon be leaving her - that was what the bad witches were beginning to murmur. She wished she was big enough to protect her Mummy from the bad witches, to help her Mummy run away and find her Daddy, along with Nicolas. She wished on every star that she could just have her family together, doing family stuff…._

* * *

"Okay! I think we just need one more," Maleny beamed at their almost finished Christmas tree. "Marls, hand me a gold bauble?"

Marlenie had been caught up in the memory while she and her mother decorated the Christmas tree the Mikaelsons had brought into the courtyard for the holiday.

"Marls?" Maleny called again and glanced back to see her daughter lost in thought. Slightly concerned, she left the tree and walked up to the young-looking woman. "Marlenie?" she gently shook Marlenie's arm, snapping her out of her trance. "Hey," Maleny chuckled, "what happened there?"

Marlenie sheepishly smiled. "Sorry, I, um…" she shook her head, fully embarrassed as she tried to talk, "...I was just thinking back to when I was a little girl and how much I wished we could do normal family stuff…like that," she gestured to the large Christmas tree.

Maleny softly smiled, half-remembering those certain memories. Now that more days had passed by, and with Marlenie's help, she was beginning to remember a lot more of her days with her twins. And Maleny felt incredibly happy. It was surreal to know she had children now, and even more-so to have one of them with her at the moment. Marlenie had made it her business to know as much as she could of her parents and their family. If she wasn't with Maleny, then she was with Klaus, and if she wasn't with either she was with her uncle Elijah or aunt Freya. She wanted to know every last thing from her family and no one was telling her 'no'.

"Well," Maleny began, walking towards a box set on the couch, "you can help me finish my very first Christmas tree by putting one of these on," she turned to Marlenie, holding out the golden bauble.

Beaming, Marlenie rushed to retrieve the bauble and place it to where Maleny pointed at. "Like that?" she glanced back at her mother questionably.

"Mmm," Maleny took a couple steps back, hands together as she stared the tree up and down. "Perfect!" she declared a moment later.

"Really?" Marlenie went to stand beside Maleny as they both took in the tree. "Ooh, I think we did good."

Maleny chuckled and went back to the boxes, figuring which ones needed to be put away where. She and Marlenie had taken out every last bit of decorations they could find to use on the courtyard and several other rooms. Being it the first Christmas Maleny would spend in her original body, and the first to spend with her daughter, she wanted everything to be perfect.

"Dad!" Marlenie's sudden exclaim startled Maleny into dropping a bauble onto the ground, making instantly shatter to pieces.

"Marlenie!" Maleny turned around, half irritated with her.

"Sorry," Marlenie winced at the scolding she knew was heading her way. But she just went to meet her father instead, Klaus distracted with the courtyard's appearance for the moment.

"You two went all out…" he remarked slowly.

Marlenie beamed. "Do you like it? Mum and I decorated it - well, Mum did a lot of the job. I just hung the ones she couldn't reach."

"Hey," Maleny hissed, crossing her arms.

Marlenie giggled. "You should have seen her trying to hang up the lights herself."

"Marlenie!"

Klaus, trying not to look as amused as he actually was, interjected the conversation. "Marls, go upstairs," he ordered lightly.

Marlenie pretended to gasp. "Is there a present for me upstairs?"

Klaus reiterated his order with a pointed finger to the rails. "Go upstairs."

Marlenie rolled her eyes and did as told, grumbling things under her breath that Maleny couldn't hear, but Klaus could. When Marlenie was gone, Maleny loudly sighed.

"You know, she reminds me of Kol a lot," she bent down to pick up the shards of the bauble she dropped. She thought that Marlenie had inherited some of Kol's mischievousness as well, because there were certain things Maleny for a fact neither she nor Klaus had ever acted like.

"Let's not go insulting the poor girl," Klaus joked and came to help her.

"Don't be so rude," Maleny playfully scolded. "You should have seen Marlenie in her younger days - she was an outright terror sometimes. I really wish good luck to Hayley with Hope. If that little girl inherits your awful temperamental genes like Marls...oh dear."

Klaus quirked an eyebrow at her, surprised. "Well, now who's being rude?"

Maleny sheepishly smiled and straightened with the bauble pieces in her hands. "Sorry," she uttered a minute after, reverting back to her shy demeanor. "Can I take those?" she pointed to the bauble pieces he held.

"How about I take them instead?" Klaus offered, not waiting for the answer as he took the pieces off her hands.

When his fingers touched her palms, Maleny felt a warm tingle that she was sure caused a bright blush across her face. Wanting to move on before Klaus could get a good ear on her racing heart, she brought in conflicting subjects to the table.

"I need to go out today," she announced while Klaus went to dump the bauble pieces over a small table for the meantime. "I need to see Davina. I know she hates me and all but I heard from Cami that she got shunned from her coven. I need to see her and see if she's okay."

"It's probable she won't want to see you, though," Klaus warned her, wanting to prepare her for the worst.

Maleny sighed, agreeing. "I know, but I have to go see her. It's Christmas."

"It's Christmas," Klaus agreed, lightly smiling towards her.

"And…" Maleny bit her lip, suddenly nervous which did make Klaus suspicious of what else she was thinking of. In the end, Maleny took in a deep breath and just came out with it. "I want to go see Lucien too."

" _What_?" Klaus nearly growled, his teeth gritting together.

"Look, it's been a couple days and I'm worried about him," Maleny tried to explain in a way that would make it easy to see her affections were completely platonic. They hadn't yet completely made up but Maleny would like for Klaus to see that her affections were never going to be on Lucien again.

"If he was worried then he would've came already," Klaus dismissed her statement and began walking away.

Maleny scowled and went after him. "You know damn well the moment he walks in you would snap his neck - at the very least anyways."

"Does he deserve any less?"

"He's not the villain here, Klaus," Maleny reminded, forcing him to stop by grabbing his arm. She turned him around, looking him in the eyes. "Lucien may have made some remarks about me I didn't like but last time I checked he wasn't the one who kidnapped me. He wasn't the one who fed off me. He wasn't the one who hurt me."

"I don't think you need to go," Klaus declared after a minute or so before heading up the stairs.

Maleny, more than irritated with him, crossed her arms and called from her spot, "Well, it's a good thing I wasn't asking for your permission then!" Klaus stopped and looked over the rails, glowering. Maleny upheld the look on her. "I was only letting you know my plans should you need to find me. I need to see how he's doing and that's that." She left him to think about that and headed for one of the downstairs rooms.

~ 0 ~

Marlenie had laid down several evening dresses over her bed and was sipping some blood from a glass when Klaus walked into her room - well, her aunt Rebekah's room. She would have taken her mother's bedroom but unfortunately her parents were refusing to just make up already.

"So, did you and Mum and talk?" Marlenie barely turned to Klaus when he snatched her glass right from her hand to down it all in one go. Marlenie blinked and watched him go lean against the dresser, taking a big breath in. "Um...how to put this delicately - that was _mine_!"

"Lack of blood is not a problem here," was all Klaus had to say on the matter. His eyes trailed towards the bed with the evening dresses and made a face. "Funny, I don't recall having a gala tonight."

Marlenie playfully rolled her eyes and turned to the bed. "They're options for tonight. It's Christmas, haven't you heard? Plus," she smiled softly as she ran a hand down one lavender dress, "I was looking something for Mum. Which do you think suits her best?" she glanced at Klaus. "You know her likes better than I do - as well as what looks better on her."

At her suggestive look, Klaus rolled his eyes. "I need you to do something today," he announced instead.

"Oh, like what?" Marlenie made a face. "You didn't let me help uncle Elijah go get aunt Rebekah."

"Elijah was more than capable on doing that himself," Klaus said back, leaning off the dresser. "Maleny has...these ideas, that, well...aren't safe."

"Like?"

"She wants to go see a friend who, currently, hates her. But, being who she is, Maleny is going to go anyways. She's a witch, and she's angry, so it wouldn't bode well for Maleny to go on her own."

Marlenie nodded in agreement. "Okay, I can do that." But just by looking at her father she knew that wasn't particularly what was troubling him. "What's the other idea Mum wants to do?"

"...she wants to go visit…" Klaus balled a fist, the mere name of the man making his insides twist with rage, "...Lucien."

Marlenie immediately crinkled her nose. "Ugh, why?"

"I don't know!" Klaus exclaimed, throwing a hand. "But she is going to do it and I'd rather you go with her to…" he paused momentarily, his gaze falling low.

Marlenie studied the sudden change in her father's face, unable to keep her smirk hidden. "To make sure she doesn't stay again," she finished what he couldn't. Klaus looked to the side as Marlenie approached him. "You want me to go make sure she comes back."

"Just do it," Klaus ordered her, attempting to keep his feelings away.

Marlenie widely smiled, chuckling to herself. "Alright, I'll go. Mostly cos I agree - I don't want her getting brainwashed again by that man. But you want to know something? It might be better for you to tell Mum about this. I assume you argued it out with her again?" by the silence she was given as a response, Marlenie sighed. "Not the best way to go, Dad. But, who am I to get into that, right? Only the daughter," she playfully rolled her eyes and headed back to the dresses.

"It's complicated," Klaus said as if it were obvious but he got a rather rude scoff in return.

"After a thousand years what else can there be that's complicated for you two?" Marlenie shook her head. "Be the bloody straight forwards man I heard you always are and just go to Mum already - clear the air! I just want to spend Christmas as a family...our first Christmas together?"

She met Klaus' amused look with a smirk. After a minute of silence, Klaus walked towards her, wagging a finger at her. "I should ground you for that big mouth of yours…"

Marlenie clapped her hands sarcastically. "First of all, it's your big mouth, actually. Second of all, I would just escape like I hear Mum tends to do."

Klaus rolled his eyes, letting another moment pass as he cast a look at the dresses Marlenie had placed on her bed. "That one," he touched a white, laced dress on the edge of the bed. Marlenie raised an eyebrow as he looked at her with a soft smile. "It makes her eyes look more beautiful."

A wide smile spread across Marlenie's face; she nodded her head and watched him leave the room. She then scurried to the side of her bed and picked up the white dress, smiling excitedly the more she gazed over it.

~ 0 ~

Cami walked into St. James' and was mildly surprised to see Tristan comfortable at the bar counter doing paperwork. She cast a brief look towards the vampire guard standing not too far from Tristan.

"Are you taking over the bar now?" she asked. "Funny, you don't seem like the one who listens to jazz."

"You're a Strix, Camille," Tristan said without looking up yet. "What's yours is ours and vice-versa. You should be grateful. You'll need my help, as I imagine the Mikaelsons still want your head."

Cami raised her eyebrows, deciding to leave the part out where she met Elijah to give him the information she gathered on a couple days ago.

Tristan went on without noticing. "This venue is brilliant. A neutral space where magic is useless. It should do nicely, at least until I install a suitable Regent to shepherd the local witches."

"Oh, well that might take a while," Cami said, pushing down her triump. "See, the last Regent was shunned, and the one before that murdered. No one is really eager to step up."

Tristan scoffed. "As a member of this organization, you should know that we do not wait for men to step up. _We_ step them up."

As he got up, Cami walked towards him. "Alright, then, so we get an ally as a Regent - it's not a bad plan. However, how easy can it be to find a witch willing to do your bidding?"

Tristan smirked. "I already have a candidate. He's young, malleable. His name is Van Nguyen. It seems someone killed his mother. As it is Christmas, and I am- despite reputation- a charitable man, I made an offer. He'll use his powers to do as I ask."

Cami took his pat on the arm and watched the man go with his guard. Knowing she had to do something to be a step ahead, she pulled out her phone and marked towards a familiar number.

~ 0 ~

"So, am I to assume you just randomly wanted to come with me to meet a girl you don't know?" Maleny was giving suspicious glances towards Marlenie as the two walked down a street.

Marlenie was walking beside her, polite smile across her face with her hands behind her back. "Mother, I haven't seen you in almost a thousand years. I just want to be where you are."

"Hmm," Maleny looked straight ahead, then. "You know, you're almost a good liar like Klaus."

"Mum, I just want to spend time with you," Marlenie said softly, casting her blue eyes towards her mother. "Plus, you have to admit, with that Aurora still running around I can't leave you alone."

Maleny playfully rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. But this girl I want to see, she's like my little sister so be nice to her. She's going through a rough time."

"Got it," Marlenie mimed-zipped her mouth as they came to a stop at Rousseau's. She opened the door and let Maleny walk in first.

Maleny immediately scanned the area for Davina, disappointed to find the girl sitting lonesomely at a booth. "Marls, give me some time with her alone, okay?" Marlenie nodded and headed for the bar counter while Maleny went for the booths.

Davina was blankly staring ahead of her, an untouched plate of food in front of her. When Maleny came up to the table, she made a face. "What do you want?"

"I heard what happened," Maleny sighed, "and I wanted to see how you were doing."

Davina scoffed. "Or maybe you just wanted to see what spell I was thinking of doing to hijack it."

Maleny sighed again. "Davina, I apologized a million times for that. I'm truly sorry but there is nothing I can do. Now really, I just wanted to see how you were doing. May I have that priviledge?"

Davina cast a glance towards the blonde, reluctantly motioning her to take a seat across. "I do have to tell you you're the first one to come and see me after I was shunned."

"I'm sorry," Maleny felt the need to say again. "I've been through some stuff, and…"

"Oh, I know," Davina cut her off. "You were kidnapped by some psycho vampire hell bent on making Klaus pay for whatever he did to her." At Maleny's surprised face, Davina added, "I have a civil connection with Cami due to the faction - or _had_ anyways. Now that I'm no longer regent, I won't have that."

Maleny reached for Davian's hand, silently gracious Davina was allowing it. "No matter what happens, Cami and I will always be your friends. It doesn't matter how you view us, we love you."

Davina's eyes teared up for a second but she masked it with disinterest. "I don't know about you but I'd rather keep away from the Mikaelsons and anyone associated with them."

Maleny tilted her head. "That's kind of going to be hard if you bring back Kol. He can be whatever he wants but he always comes back for his siblings." Davina knew that she was right, but didn't agree out loud. "Davina, who are you spending Christmas with?"

"What?" Davina's eyes snapped back onto the blonde.

"Amarrah's having her own Christmas gathering with Cami, Alton and Yamilet. They would be more than happy to have you with them," Maleny smiled, patting Davina's hand affectionately. "Plus, Alton and Yamilet are leaving the Quarter tonight, so it's sort of a combined Christmas party and 'going away' party."

"Are you serious?" Davina looked more weary than irritated.

"It's Christmas, Davina, and I don't want you spending it alone. I hear Cami's going to be dragging Marcel too. Now that you don't have to answer to the witches, what does it matter who you spend Christmas with?"

Davina began to smile, the idea making sense to her. "Well…"

"I'd offer you my place but I know how you feel towards us now," Maleny sighed, pulling back her hand. "I want you to be happy and comfortable."

After a moment, Davina nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Maleny."

The blonde scooted out of her seat to go hug Davina in her spot. "Stay away from the drinks, though," she joked, making Davina chuckle. "Hell, what am I saying, like Marcel's gonna let you anywhere near bourbon."

The two laughed together, more than used to Marcel's overprotection with Davina.

~ 0 ~

On a gas station at the roadside, Elijah was finishing up putting in more gas in the car when Rebekah stepped out of the gas station's convenience store.

"Ugh," the blonde crinkled her nose as she wiped her mouth with a paper towel. "I think I prefer the bottom of the murky sea to that restroom."

Elijah was more than amused by his sister. "Still hungry, are we?"

Rebekah groaned, frustrated, while she relentlessly rubbed her wrist. "I'm not hungry, I'm _angry_. Staked by your ex, drowned by Nik's. Do me a favor and just stick with the ones you already have _please_." Seeing Elijah's confused face, Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Maleny and Cami, clearly." Now flustered, Elijah focused on the gas. Rebekah sighed. "Do those lunatics actually believe the prophecy? I mean, to kill me just to get me back in this body because of some stupid fortune?"

Elijah sighed then,. "You'd be foolish to ignore the manifestation of these omens."

Rebekah scoffed and leaned beside the car. "We can't be killed, Elijah!"

"This prophecy does state one of us will fall by family."

"Well, I would never harm you, you killed half the Navy rescuing me, Freya hates traitors…"

"Yes, Freya. Let's not forget her allegiance to Finn. I do want to trust her, but…"

Rebekah felt a jab at her wrist but ignored it for the moment. "So, that leaves Nik. Do you think he's learned his lesson about backstabbing his family?"

"Hmm," Elijah shook his head, "I think he learns that lesson all the time. He's just a terrible student." He took the nozzle from the gas tank and put it back in place. He then moved to the driver's seat but was stopped by Rebekah, whose eyes were in a dazy state for a second or two before darkening up with hunger - even her fangs bared out!

"Do you ever want to just rip out his heart and see how long it takes to grow back?" she growled. It only lasted a minute before yelping in pain and clutching her arm. She slowly raised the sleeve of her arm to reveal a skull-shaped weal on her wrist.

"What is it?" Elijah asked in concern as he held his sister's arm to study the mark.

"Marvelous," Rebekah rolled her eyes, more tired than anything else. "What do you get the girl who has everything this Christmas? A cure to a magical mark growing on her bloody arm."

~ 0 ~

After Maleny had left a somewhat happier Davina, Marlenie pulled her mother towards the busy streets of Jackson Square. She knew Maleny still wanted to go visit Lucien and she wanted to put off that stupid visit for as long as possible. Plus, she _did_ want to spend time with her mother. So, it was a win, win for everyone.

"Look, Mum!" Marlenie held a little mistletoe hanging by a red ribbon. Maleny, who had been looking at other decorations from the next stall, looked up in confusion. "Maybe we can put it up at home for a certain Original to walk through it at the same time you do…"

At Marlenie's suggestive look, Maleny coughed and blushed. "That wasn't funny!" she scolded when Marlenie laughed.

"What? I was just saying," Marlenie put down the mistletoe.

"Mhm," Maleny rolled her eyes. "Your first Christmas is going to be spent in your room if you don't watch what you say."

"You would actually ground me?"

Maleny glanced at the vampire. "I am your mother, and therefore I have the authority to."

"But I'm nearly a thousand years old-"

"I'm your mother."

"Yeah, but I'm past the adult age-"

"I'm your mother."

"But I'm a vampire!"

"I'm your mother."

Huffing, Marlenie walked past Maleny. "Can't believe I'm being threatened to be grounded - on Christmas!"

Maleny chuckled and walked after her. "Be polite and you can have a wonderful Christmas."

"Well," Marlenie came to a stop and played with her fingers, "the only way I can have a wonderful Christmas is if my parents work things out." Maleny's amusement faded from her face as Marlenie went on. "I mean, when I came into the Quarter I was only looking for my Dad. I never thought Mum would be here too. And now that she is, I would really like to have my parents content and together."

Maleny sighed and rubbed her arm. "I'm sorry, Marls. It's just compl-"

"Don't say it's complicated!" Marlenie exclaimed, whirling to face her mother who was surprised by the sudden louder voice. "I don't understand what is so complicated, mother." She ran her hands through her hair. "You clearly made a mistake going to Lucien's because you still love Dad. He made a mistake going to Aurora, and guess what? He still loves _you_. Please, point me to the complicated part because I don't see it."

"I'm-"

Marlenie whined and came back in a rather childish way, taking Maleny's hand. "Why can't just one of you just speak up with the truth?"

"Marls-"

"It's Christmas!" Marlenie continued on. "I don't want you guys fighting like I know you did earlier."

Maleny cut her daughter off by placing her hands over Marlenie's cheeks. "No matter what happens, I promise you today there will be no fighting. You're right, it _is_ our first Christmas together and I would like one family night in peace. Everyone will be on their best behavior."

"But what about you and-"

"Marlenie, sweetheart, everyone will be on their best behavior," Maleny smiled. "I am only making promises I can keep. Now c'mon, I still have to go see Lucien."

Marlenie groaned, rolling her eyes. " _That_ guy? Honestly, I don't know why Dad didn't kill him on the spot after what he said about you."

Maleny shrugged and started walking again. "Lucien is always throwing comments like that. Now I really don't like what he said about me but I still need to make sure he's okay."

"You're too nice to that guy," Marlenie crossed her arms, glumly following beside Maleny.

"No, I'm really not," Maleny said earnestly. "What he said about me did hurt me, but what I did was worse."

Marlenie sighed deeply and almost stomped after her mother, unable to believe Maleny could feel guilty towards Lucien. Who gave a damn about that guy?

~ 0 ~

"Look, Marcel, I know it's another hassle but please? Can't you do anything to help me?" Cami was in the church gym having trouble convincing Marcel to help her out with a Strix problem.

"Cami, this is a dangerous game you are playing with the Strix," Marcel had his arms crossed, firmly looking at her.

"You have to understand that if we put Vincent as Regent, we can ensure that the Strix don't activate the Serratura," Cami insisted.

"Except we'd be placing our friend in danger," Marcel gave her a narrowed look, feeling more like a parent than a friend to the blonde.

Cami scoffed. "Oh, c'mon, we both know Vincent would love to kick some vampire ass. He won't be manipulated so easily."

"While I can agree on that," Marcel began, walking past Cami, "How would we even get Vincent to accept the offer? That's the whole reason he got Davina into the mess of Regent in the first place."

"I don't know," Cami admitted, flapping her arms. "But we have to come up with something. The Strix already have Van Nguyen in their hands - they transferred a heavy amount of money to his bank account." Worried, Marcel turned back to the woman, listening as she continued on. "His family business got shut down because of his mother's death so he didn't have money for his sisters. The Strix have him in their hands. It won't bode well for any of the factions if a kid with a debt to the Strix is placed as Regent of the witches. Marcel, he's going to become Regent _tonight_."

"Okay," Marcel sighed, he too would rather see Vincent as Regent than some kid. "So how do we do it, then? How do we get Vincent to agree?"

Cami was a little relieved and so felt more confident now that there were two people working. "Well, I think we should go with the most basic thing: guilt."

"Guilt?" Marcel quirked an eyebrow up, doubtful of the tactic.

"Look, Vincent put Davina as Regent because _he_ didn't want to do it. Now she got shunned because of him and now he's going to let some kid take Regency."

"You want us to throw it back into his face, then?" Marcel could see that actually working, and impressed with her, he smirked and nudged her. "You're good at this."

"I'm not proud of it," Cami sighed, thinking back to all that she had done lately because of the Strix. "So, you think you can help me out? Vincent's my friend, but you and him…"

"Aren't exactly on good terms, got it," Marcel nodded, making a face that had Cami chuckle afterwards.

~ 0 ~

"I can't believe we wasted all this time for a guy that wasn't even home," Marlenie complained for what Maleny believed was the tenth time since they left Lucien's apartment.

"I'm frankly a little worried," Maleny admitted with a light sigh. "He hasn't answered any of my calls nor has he appeared anywhere in the Quarter since Thanksgiving. That's well over a month now."

"And here's to more months," Marlenie widely grinned at the idea of never seeing Lucien again.

Maleny rolled her eyes and turned down a new street. "Honestly, Marls, can you stop being so bitter? You're like the Scrooge."

"Oh," Marlenie came to an abrupt stop, letting Maleny walk on ahead. "That's rude! You don't know squat about Christmas but you know who 'Scrooge' is?"

"To be fair-" began a third voice behind Marlenie, "-that _is_ an interesting character."

Marlenie gasped with delight and turned around. "Dad! You're here!"

Maleny stopped walking to turn as well, surprised to find Klaus with their daughter. He had a wide smile across his face as he looked between both women.

"What are you doing here?" Marlenie asked him.

"I realized you were right about it being your first Christmas - how it's the first Christmas for _both_ of you-" Klaus met Maleny's look for a minute, "-and I-" but Marlenie's excitement cut into his words.

"And you wanted to spend time with us!" she beamed, nearly hopping of her joy. "That's what you meant to say, right? Right?"

Klaus chuckled but nodded, making her squeal. While she proceeded to babble on about what they could all do, Klaus' attention drifted towards the silent blonde who had yet to say a word.

"Mal, is that fine with you?" he forced himself to ask after a moment. He admitted it was a rather abrupt idea of his to come and find them. Partly, his idea sprung out from fear of Maleny visiting Lucien - and a little jealousy - but he felt the need to make the first step to make things return to normal.

Maleny cleared her throat as she slowly came towards the two. "I'm alright," she shrugged. "I promised Marls there would be no fighting today. Plus, I wouldn't mind having a nice first Christmas."

"Ooh! This is so exciting!" Marlenie exclaimed, clapping her hands.

~ 0 ~

Back in the compound, Freya had taken a closer look at Rebekah's mark on her wrist. Unfortunately, as the time passed by, the mark grew larger and painful.

"Give me the bad news, Doc," Rebekah sighed as Freya finished up.

"Aya's stake was cursed. It infected you," Freya regretted to inform. "As this mark grows, you will go mad. Left unchecked, you will become a relentless, unstoppable Ripper."

Rebekah rolled her eyes, ungracefully leaning against the couch cushion. "Aya was always thorough."

"The Strix always employ a safeguard," Elijah sighed. "In the event that we were successful at retrieving your body, you were cursed. You see, if one is on a rampage, one is not difficult to hunt." And of course that would be their downfall, he thought. He glanced at Freya. "Can you fix this?"

Freya grabbed the enchanted stake to study it a little more. When she noticed a set of carved runes running down, she nodded. "The spell is carved here. I can... I can reverse it." She made the mistake of rising up to her feet quickly. Her head felt fuzzy, and the way she spoke was not a good sign. "I just... need some time... and a hell of a lot of magic."

She then fainted, falling almost to the ground if Elijah hadn't caught her in time. Placing her back on the couch, the others exchanged looks of worry.

"She was fine. Hayley healed her," Jackson felt the need to say before accusations started flying about. They thought they had cured Freya of the attack the Strix had done against her.

Elijah then noticed a puncture wound on Freya's neck which was still bleeding. "This scratch is not healed," he realized with horror. "This is poison. This is an assassination attempt."

~ 0 ~

Marlenie was somewhat disappointed to find her parents still watching the ongoing Christmas musicians play across them. She'd gotten sidetracked by a couple of holiday trinkets and so when her parents began paying more attention to the music, she felt more comfortable looking at the trinkets. But now that she was done, and they were still intently watching, she was bored.

"Why are you still watching this?" she came to stand beside her mother. "It's just random music."

"Be more appreciative, Marls," Maleny smiled softly, her eyes locked on the musicians. "These people are out here, choosing to play wonderful music for people they don't even know. I love it."

Marlenie rolled her eyes and leaned forwards to see Klaus. "Dad? Please tell her something? I'm bored."

"You haven't told her about the piano?" Klaus asked Maleny instead, sounding rather amused much to Marlenie's dismay.

Maleny shrugged. "I haven't had a mood for the piano nowadays so she hasn't seen it."

"Seen what?" Marlenie asked curiously.

"Your mother has an exceptional ability with the piano," Klaus explained to her. "And one of her favorite pass times is to come out and listen to these 'random musicians' and you say."

"So...you come out to watch these people?" Marlenie asked Maleny, chucking a thumb in the direction of the musicians.

"Well, not alone," Maleny shrugged, glancing at Klaus with a sly smile, "I have to force _him_ to come along. And then I have to deal with his nonstop commentary that's almost always annoying."

"Oh, is that the case?" Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Because I don't recall you having any problem with my 'pretty words' for you that I would whisper to you while we watched."

Maleny then awkwardly coughed and looked to the musicians. "You can be quiet now."

"Oh no," Marlenie beamed, seeing a playful (and hopefully helpful) banter start between the two, "Please go on, Dad. I'd love to hear more about these 'pretty words'."

"No, you wouldn't," Maleny shot her a warning look before quickly changing her look towards Klaus, even more threatening, "She doesn't need to hear them - you _know_ some of those were _not_ for others to hear."

Marlenie snickered while the two went at it again. Klaus dramatically sighed as he went on, ignoring Maleny's looks. "So I can't tell Marlenie how I often say you would make a lovely pianist? Because your tunes are the only ones that would actually make people give a damn about the classics?"

"Is she really that good?" Marlenie asked curiously, seeing her mother was becoming flustered.

"Marvelous," Klaus assured, now only looking at Maleny.

Marlenie saw she was no longer being paid attention, and figuring they could probably use a moment she made her exit. "I'll be back, I want to go get some of those snacks…"

"Do you know Mal," Klaus went on, neither of them really noticing Marlenie leaving, "I think you could acquire a renown piano teacher…"

"Oh, I think Elijah has done a good job with my lessons," Maleny chuckled. "Despite all the headaches I probably gave him, he did manage to make progress with me."

"Perhaps an abroad teacher could continue that progress? I know of excellent Italian ones…"

Maleny met his look with a surprised one of her own. "Venice…" she whispered, reminded of the last time they'd spoken about 'Italy' and all that traveling stuff. It seemed like such a long time ago for her.

"Ah yes, we could always make that stop," Klaus smirked at her.

"You still...you still want to g-go?"

"You don't want to go anywhere?"

"U-um," Maleny nervously scratched her cheek, glancing at the musicians, "I just figured you would have thrown those plans out the window - considering everything that's happened. We haven't 'decided' yet what...we are..."

Klaus reached out and took Maleny's hand from her cheek, making her look back to him. "If it means spending lovely afternoons like this with you - like we used to - then I would leave today."

Maleny displayed a warm smile across her lips, gripping his hand that was in hers. "I would like that too. Oh, we can go to the water-filled streets-"

"Its streets aren't covered with water, Mal," Klaus chuckled, "Just where...well, where the roads are meant to be."

"Ooh," Maleny blinked, looking to the side while she processed that new detail. "That would make a lot more sense."

"And we could take our twins with us - because they're _twins_ now," Klaus once again had to redirect her gaze back onto him, though he felt less anxious around her now that the, quote on quote, 'ice had been broken'. It almost felt like old times.

"Marlenie," Maleny whispered, the idea of them actually having twins was still such a novelty. They had never expected to have _a_ child between them, let alone _two_.

"Yes," Klaus nodded, moving his hands to her arms, discreetly moving closer to her. "We can visit any place you want…"

"Marlenie did mention there were fantastic shopping stores-"

Klaus dramatically groaned and shook his head. "Except there - anywhere but there."

Maleny giggled, deciding to tease him further. "Oh, but we are going to go there. I want to go to those cute little shops I see on the magazines. Oh! And the shoe stores - I definitely _need_ to go to the shoe stores."

"Absolutely not," Klaus declared, shaking his head with genuine horror. "Do you know I once took Rebekah to get modern clothes - after I daggered her for a near century - and all I heard was 'where's the rest of the dress' or 'why isn't this in red' or-"

"Good, then you already have practice!" Maleny leaned forwards, beaming. "And since Marlenie does lead a very successful designer company you can rest assure we'll be spending a _lot_ of time at the stores."

Klaus suddenly placed his hands on her cheeks, taking a minute to just look at her. "I suppose if it keeps you happy - like this-" he rubbed circles over her cheeks, making her smile even bigger, "-then make your list and we shall go."

"Don't I feel special," Maleny chuckled to herself, actually sporting a blush she wasn't fully aware of.

"Because you are, and I failed to show you for a while…"

"It wasn't just you - I did my fair share of bad stuff."

There came that awful, awkward silence that neither wanted. With his hands already placed on either side of her face, Klaus meant to lean down and kiss Maleny. And it would've happened, seeing as Maleny was already under his charms with her eyes closed, but then came the lovely interruption...

"Uncle Elijah just called," Marlenie was meekly smiling. Her parents turned in her direction, sending her very annoyed looks. "There's a problem with my aunts. It seems like aunt Rebekah has been cursed and the only way to help her is by reversing it with some stake. However, aunt Freya's been poisoned by the Strix. The ingredients for her poison antidote are a bit complicated so we should get a move on to help-"

"You don't need to find the ingredients," Maleny declared, earning herself confused looks from Marlenie and Klaus. "Look, it was 2 weeks at Lucien's and when I got bored...I snooped. He has a bunch of strange things and one of them was a strange chess I couldn't open on my own. Odds are, he keeps his defenses well guarded."

"Like antidotes," Klaus realized, thinking back to Lucien's magical cure for the werewolf bite he received from Jackson.

Maleny nodded. "If the Strix poisoned Freya then we can probably find the antidote there."

"That's great!" Marlenie cheered and rushed to the two. "I can't believe I'm saying this but let's go back to Lucien's!"

"I hope you _never_ say that again," Klaus grumbled under his breath, leading the two women away. Marlenie giggled and cast a wink towards her mother, who sheepishly looked elsewhere.

~ 0 ~

Much time had passed and Freya discovered her power alone may fail to reverse the curse set on Rebekah. She had called upon the spirit of Finn - which was still locked away in her blue talisman necklace - to get help but he outright refused to do so. So, Freya ventured on her own to do the required spell. However, in the midst of her cast, she felt the power begin to overwhelm her - telling her to stop or she would die - but it wasn't going to make her quit...even as the blood began pouring from her eyes.

Finn's spirit stood across from her, wearing a mixture of anger and concern across his face. "You are dying for her!" he said to Freya. "Let Rebekah go. Let them all go!"

"Nu-uh," Freya vigorously shook her eyes, squeezing her eyes shut to focus better.

"It will just be the two of us again!"

"I will save her," Freya angrily insisted. "If I am at all important to you, brother, help me!"

A second later, Elijah came into the room with a glass of water Freya requested. Seeing her terrible state, he sped up beside her. He put the glass down and tried to stop her as well.

"Freya, stop! Please!"

Freya turned away from him, keeping her eyes shut. "No!" she argued with him as well. "Don't touch me! Do not stop me!"

"At least wait until Maleny returns," Elijah persisted, trying to get her to snap out of her spell trance. "Together you two can do it - we cannot lost anyone else in the process." But seeing Freya wouldn't listen to him, he grew more frustrated. He shook off his jacket and tried more forcibly to get her to stop.

Unbeknownst to him, Finn was watching rather surprised of the act. He believed firmly that none of his siblings truly cared for Freya...but perhaps he was wrong.

Freya was having none of the pleads getting in her way. Nearing a rage, she shouted a warn to both brothers, "Help me, or get out!"

A couple minutes later, she started breathing heavily, like there wasn't enough air to fill her lungs. Worried she might actually die from asphyxiation, Elijah bit into his wrist and practically forced Freya to take his blood. "This will strengthen you."

With a light sigh, Finn walked over to stand on Freya's other side. He leaned closer to her, speaking softer, " As will my power. Just this once, sister. For you." Just like Freya had pleaded with him earlier, he gave her his strength to help her finish the spell.

And perhaps it was fate putting everything together, because not too far from them there was a brewing fight between Hayley and Rebekah - the latter beginning to lose her sanity. Eventually, the strength boost given to Freya began fading as the spell required more of her power. Combined with the poison deteriorating her health, the spell had to be done between pauses as she threw up considerable amount of blood on the side.

"Ugh! I can't do it," she finally stopped for a minute to rest. "I can't focus."

Jackson came into the room and saw how awful the woman was, instantly becoming worried. He hurried to check her temperature and was appalled to feel her skin like it were fire. "She's burning up!" he looked up at Elijah. "I guess a hospital's out of the question?"

"A hospital won't help her," Elijah shook his head, internally wishing the little trio he called earlier would hurry the hell up.

His thoughts were interrupted by the loud crash outside. Exchanging a seconds-look with Jackson, both of them made to go see for themselves...when Freya chucked up another worrisome amount of blood.

"You stay with her, please," Elijah said to Jackson, assuming Rebekah was in need of help only he could give. Jackson sent him off with assurances to look after Freya.

Outside in the courtyard were both Hayley and Rebekah, barely waking from their violent tumble from the second floor. Rebekah woke up with a ferocious growl, her eyes pitch black as she jumped to her feet. She turned for Hayley, intending on a second round with her. Hayley already had her hybrid face out, preparing to at least take down the woman long enough for the spell to be done.

However, Rebekah was a bit quicker and kicked her in the stomach before backhanding her across the face. Hayley landed with a thud on the floor, and struggled to get back up as Rebekah came towards her. When Rebekah lunged for Hayley, at vampire speed, Elijah cut in and roughly grabbed her by the arms.

"Listen to me. Listen to me!" he tried capturing Rebekah's attention, but she was growling at Hayley like she were a wild animal. "Rebekah, look at me! Rebekah!" Slowly, Rebekah was able to do so. "Control yourself."

Rebekah sighed and closed her eyes, doing as he wanted. A couple seconds later, she re-opened them to reveal her blue eyes. "Dear brother... I have control."

Elijah released her then, sighing with relief. "Good."

But not a second later did Rebekah smirk and her eyes returned to their dark orbs. She swung a hand to Elijah's chin, the force of the hit sending Elijah to the floor with a near-snapped neck.

"Ha!" Rebekah cried with actual joy.

Hayley didn't waste a second in trying to take her down again, before she actually hurt someone. Rebekah growled and sped Hayley up against a pillar, shooting her hand through Hayley's chest for her heart. Hayley frantically squirmed as she felt her heart tightened by Rebekah's hand. Another minute and perhaps Rebekah would've actually ripped it out, but thankfully the required trio had returned.

"Rebekah!" Klaus called out to her, appalled of the sight. He sped to her, grabbing her wrist to force her to let go of Hayley's heart. "Not her!"

Hayley loudly gasped when she finally felt the hand leave her heart. She slid to the ground as Klaus pulled Rebekah away.

"Oh my God!" Maleny rushed to Hayley's side, ignoring Marlenie's exclaim for her.

"No, Mum!"

Rebekah caught site of the human blonde and tried lunging for her next. Klaus yanked her back, even more annoyed. "Not her either!"

Without a further word, he slammed Rebekah onto a table across them. Marlenie, who held the black briefcase they'd taken from Lucien's (still lonesome) apartment, called out to Klaus. "I'm giving this to aunt Freya!"

"Go," it was Maleny who responded back, frantically motioning to her daughter to hurry up. "C'mon, Hayley," she then helped the healing brunette up.

Right after Hayley mumbled a 'thanks', Rebekah called out, eyes flickering from Klaus and Maleny, "Aah! Dear, sweet Mal, stuck forever behind glass like the breakable object she is." She managed to push forwards and get to her feet, but Klaus still tightly restrained her by the arms. "Tick-tock will go the clock, and before you know it you'll have withered away from age…"

"Rebekah…" Maleny feebly said, visibly hurt.

"She's not precious, Nik," Rebekah went on like the blonde hadn't spoken. "Every woman that you and Elijah bring into our lives turns to poison. She'll grow toxic, too."

Klaus looked back to Maleny, horrified, while Maleny became overwhelmed. She shook her head and dashed away.

"Mal!" Hayley went after her, slightly better enough to run.

Elijah, who had recovered from the nasty attack, got to his feet and hurried to help Klaus keep Rebekah back. But the blonde was persistent and tried fighting them both. Minutes felt like hours as the two brothers worked to keep her in one place. In the end, they threw her back on the table, each pinning her by one arm.

"No!" Rebekah growled at them both, pushing forwards. "No! Aah!"

"Hold her!" they heard Freya's frail voice from the stairs. She was coming down holding the needed blade in her hand.

As Klaus and Elijah pinned Rebekah to the table, Freya came forwards and used the blade to slice the part of Rebekah's skin that bore the deadly skull weal, all in the meanwhile she chanted the spell. Rebekah screamed in utter pain until the spell finished, and then she fell limp. Hesitantly, Klaus and Elijah let her go, stepping back to where Freya was as Rebekah closed her eyes for a second.

When Rebekah opened her eyes, they appeared to be her normal blue hue. She sat up with a groan, speaking in a sarcastic tone. "Well," she rolled her eyes, "that was annoying."

~ 0 ~

Much time later, Marlenie knocked on the open door of Maleny's bedroom. Maleny stood in front of the window, which was opened and letting in a breeze.

Marlenie came in holding the dress that had been chosen in the morning. As she put it down on the bed, she glanced at her mother, seeing the conflict in Maleny's eyes. "I know this is a stupid question but what's wrong?"

Maleny couldn't force herself to look away from the window. "I...well," she sighed, "forgetting all of today, the problem now is...well...I don't know." Marlenie straightened up, crossing her arms while she looked at her mother. "There's just something…" Maleny put a hand on her stomach, "...like a feeling, yeah - it's a weird feeling that I have in the pit of my stomach. It's not bad, I...I actually feel like I want to cry…"

"But that's not bad?" Marlenie arched an eyebrow, struggling the urge not to make another sarcastic remark. She may be nearing a thousand years of age but her mother could and still would smack her if she tried getting smart.

Maleny shook her head, her eyes quickly returning to the sky which bore only a couple of stars due to the overflow of Christmas lights in the Quarter. "They're...happy tears," she tried explaining, "Like...like it's...a relief. I…" she sighed, unable to find her right words to correctly explain the odd feeling she felt.

Marlenie walked up to her mother, hugging her tight from behind. "Oh, Mum, let's get ready for Christmas instead? Aunt Freya says you make mean minty fresh brownies."

Maleny lightly chuckled. "If you only knew who taught me how."

Marlenie let go to give her a curious look. "Who?"

Maleny turned around, a smirk spreading across her face because she knew the reaction she would get from Marlenie. "An alien Queen who traveled through space and time."

Marlenie's eyebrows shot up. "What!?"

The white dress on her bed caught Maleny's attention, and so she left her confused daughter to go examine it. "What's this?"

"Alien Queen?" Marlenie whispered to herself as she went for the bed. "It's the dress you're wearing for tonight." She picked up the dress and smirked. "Someone special chose it for you."

Uncomfortable, Maleny hugged herself and looked to the side. "Dare I ask how this happened?"

"Oh, before he asked me to come with you because he was overly scared you would leave again," Marlenie knew her answer would startle her mother, and so when it happened she chuckled.

"He said that?" came the low whisper from Maleny, now eyeing the laced dress.

"Mother, it is completely obvious," Marlenie rolled her eyes and put the dress on the bed. She took her mother's hand and led her towards the dresser. "And I think it's high time this silly, childish game came to an end."

"What are you-"

"Hush," Marlenie covered her mouth, ignoring the looks she received as she thought of the look she would create for her mother. She would be damned if her Christmas wasn't like the proper family one she always dreamed of.

~ 0 ~

Down in the courtyard the large Christmas tree that had been set up was now being covered in different wrapped-up gifts. Freya and Elijah were sifting through some of them, while also dropping off their own. They had dressed up for the night, Elijah dawning a sharp dark suit, while Freya wore a tight, dark blue dress.

"Where in the hell did Marlenie get the time to put all of these?" Freya couldn't help laugh at the influx of gifts from her older niece.

"Sneaky just like someone I remember," Elijah mused, sharing a knowing look with Freya before the two chuckled.

"I suspect they are talking about you, Nik," Rebekah also laughed as she and Klaus came with two drinks in their hands for them and the others. Her berry dress matched the shade of Elijah's shirt under his jacket.

"Well, just like me, Marls doesn't take it lightly," Klaus warned as he handed Freya a drink. "And she's also quite the match in a fight."

"That I am," Marlenie strolled in with her own drink in hand, fashioning a bright pink dress with no sleeves and an opened black jacket. "And I can ruin that nice jacket," she winked at Klaus, nodding to his silver jacket, "so I best get my present."

"Don't be smart with me," Klaus warned her, and paused suddenly to look around, "...where's your mother?"

Marlenie beamed. "Oh, she's coming, trust me! She was just on the phone with aunt Cami."

"And bidding goodbye to 'aunt Cami'," Maleny came in with her phone still in hand. "She wishes you all a merry Christmas," she looked to the siblings, "Actually, there's a long list of people but you get the jist."

"Thank you," Elijah said first, resigning himself to receiving only that from the distant blonde vampire.

They heard a noise upstairs and looked up to see Jackson leading Hayley, who held Hope in her arms, down the stairs. The others gathered closer to welcome them in. In the process, Klaus 'discreetly' pulled Maleny closer to him, looking her over in the dress he had chosen for her. Maleny caught him and smiled, her face warming.

Her face was brightened up with the stark red lipstick over her lips, her pretty blonde hair curled and let loose with only two twists to keep it from getting in her eyes. The laced, straight-across dress was a pure white, its lace reaching down to her wrists in long sleeves. Matching lace went around the hemline of the dress which settled right above her knees.

It was exactly how Klaus pictured her after seeing the dress in the morning.

"You said you wanted a happy family Christmas. Well," Jackson helped Hayley take the last step of the stairs, "the family's all here."

Hayley was ecstatic to see everyone there, and more so knowing her husband actually _wanted_ to be in there same room as them. She immediately rushed to them, more than ready for one peaceful night.

"I will take her," Marlenie declared as she took her younger sister into her arms. "You won't believe what your big sister got you for Christmas," she kissed Hope on the head.

"Thank you for helping Freya," Klaus walked up to Jackson holding a new glass of wine for him. The level of shock on Jackson's face by the genuine kindness Klaus portrayed was clearly evident, and so Klaus felt the need to add on a special joke afterwards, "Unfortunately, we're all out of mason-jar moonshine."

"Well, Nik, you are positively merry tonight," Rebekah rolled her eyes.

"Ooh, but not for long," Maleny laughed as she smelt the beginnings of wood burning.

Klaus gave her a look of confusion until he too began smelling the burning wood. It was fairly comical of the rapidness in which his expressions turned into terror. "Oh, no!"

"It''s not exactly a bonfire, but I improvised," Rebekah laughed herself. "Come on. It's tradition!"

"What is?" Marlenie asked then, beyond confused on what apparently was so funny.

Klaus sighed, still explaining to her, "We write our wishes and then burn them for luck. Strangely, I don't recall wishing for an influx of enemies, and yet year after year…"

Elijah smirked as he took a sip of his wine. "How odd. Forever on Santa's naughty-list."

Marlenie then huffed mockingly, remarking, "Well, I find myself to be a delightful gift, don't you think?" Klaus smiled, unable to say much when Marlenie added, "And Mum's here too - oh, and we can't forget Nick is coming home soon. We're good gifts...aren't we?" she asked in an unexpected soft voice.

"Marls," Maleny gave her daughter a good stern look, but in the end Klaus had the last word.

"Excellent gifts," he smiled wider at the two.

~ 0 ~

A middle aged taxi driver was stuffing in a suitcase into the back of his cab while the customer patiently waited on the side. "Where are you headed, young man man?" he asked after shutting the trunk. "And I must warn it'll cost you double the rate for Christmas."

The customer nodded. "Can you get me to the French Quarter please? As fast as possible?"

"Of course," the cab driver nodded and went for his seat while the customer got in the back. "Address?"

"You just drive," the customer said, getting comfortable in his spot. "I'll tell you where to turn."

~ 0 ~

Even as the night progressed and peace did continue, there always had to be one upsetting detail. In the Mikaelsons case, it was the departure of Rebekah. As far as anyone knew, she was still at the bottom of the sea and it was best it stayed that way for strategic points.

As Rebekah returned to the courtyard with a suitcase in hand, and black coat around her, the others were in the process of opening up the gifts. While Marlenie helped Hope onto her new tricycle, gifted by Elijah, Maleny busily unwrapped a cream-colored present.

"Oh my God it's a reversible sweater!" Maleny gaped as she raised the red leather jacket which clearly had a white side underneath. When she heard the others snicker, she blushed and lowered the jacket. "I said that too loud, huh?"

"I'm glad you liked your gift, Mum," Marlenie said, struggling not to laugh as she added, "Though I don't know who's more excited for their presents: You or Hope?"

Maleny sent her a playful glare. "Keep it up, smart-alec, and you'll find yourself grounded on Christmas."

"Don't be so hard on her," Klaus came by her side, holding another glass of wine for Maleny.

"Thank you," Marlenie faked a dramatic sigh.

"I was talking about Maleny," Klaus clarified, causing Maleny to snicker as Marlenie huffed and looked away.

"I need you to grow up so we can outnumber them," she said to Hope, who merely responded with a grin.

Klaus bent down beside Maleny, handing her the drink. Shyly, Maleny took the glass. The exchange between them made the others feel like they were intruding on an intimate moment. Still mighty excited over it, Maleny showed off her new reversible jacket to Klaus, who laughed at her in amusement. It was apparently still a big deal to her.

When Rebekah came to bid goodbye, the group rose to their feet and each said their farewells. Second to last were the older mother and daughter.

"I'm sorry for all that I said," Rebekah pleaded as she hugged Maleny goodbye.

Maleny pushed down her pain from it and smiled at the honest blonde. "It's alright. I'm glad you're better."

Rebekah looked grateful for the forgiveness, and soon her eyes flickered to Marlenie, immediately perking. "You take care of your mother, then."

"Doesn't everyone," Maleny mumbled under her breath, clearly upset by the overused instruction.

"Of course I will," Marlenie said without letting her mother's words go. "But I think Dad's going to have that covered."

"Marlenie!" Maleny scolded, but Marlenie just shrugged and hugged her aunt. As she walked away, Maleny went after, continuing the scold.

Rebekah laughed lightly at the two, already knowing she would miss hearing those interesting arguments. When she met with Klaus last, she had only one warning for him. "You realize those two will be forcing you to pick a side against the other in arguments?"

The expression Klaus gave off said it was something he had already thought about. Rebekah had to laugh again, but she sobered when Klaus gave her his warning. "Run far and fast, stay on the move," she nodded, "and- should you happen to meet some handsome fool- know your weaknesses."

Rebekah playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh, ha, ha, ha. If we're on that page, then I'll advice you to run towards love." She cast eyes towards Maleny and Marlenie, the latter being still lectured. "The Girl in the Forest, it's a nice name…but I think she's earned her 'always and _forever_ ' don't you think?"

The idea put Klaus in a nervous state, something Rebekah wasn't quite used to seeing so openly. "I don't want to do this, Rebekah, especially not tonight."

"Yes, tonight," Rebekah softly insisted. "My words, as harsh as they were, had truth-"

"No, Rebekah," Klaus shook his head, "Not-"

Rebekah put a hand on his arm. "Time will pass, and before you know it our Mal will age." She sighed upon seeing the refusal in her brother. "What is it, Nik? I don't... _none_ of us understand. Why won't you relent and turn her? Between us," she whispered, "what's the reason?"

Klaus hesitated to confide, but seeing everyone else distracted, he gave in. Astonishingly feeble, he explained. "I have met, and killed, and hurt so many people. I am the ruthless monster people fear. I am the monster that plucks hearts out, slices people's necks without a second thought. To turn Maleny, she needs to _die_. And I know that she wants _me_ to do it. I would have to-" he swallowed roughly, "- _kill_ her. I have to take her life, and I...not her, Rebekah, not her."

Rebekah tilted her head, a half-smile working its way across her face. She put a hand on his arm, affectionately squeezing it. "This is something completely different. Think about it like this: one split moment of death for an _eternity_ with your love? A hell of a bargain if you ask me."

Still mildly unsure, Klaus stayed silent. He glanced to where Maleny was, the blonde now intently watching Marlenie show her the reversible jacket. She was far too focused on it, and heavily awed by it, to notice any stares. To have that - a woman who managed to be wonder-struck by a material of clothing despite the terrible, dangerous situations she often found herself in - was comforting and...warm? Was that the right word? Well, it certainly felt like it. In all his centuries of life, he found no one could give him those same feelings. Could he bear to lose her again? Forever?

~ 0 ~

Not too long after Rebekah left, Elijah took a lonesome drink inside the upstairs study. He heard the steps of his sister nearing and looked up with smile as she entered the room.

Freya held her phone in one hand while the other a wine glass. "Do you know, one hundred years ago, I snuck into a Christmas ball here." Elijah lightly chuckled. "I wanted so much to be a part of it, but I thought I was forever fated to be an outsider, always looking in. I know this hasn't been your most elegant family Christmas, but, well, it's already been the best one I've ever had."

"I suppose some things are worth the wait," Elijah clinked his glass with hers, both exchanging smiles.

As they drank, Freya stared intently at him, barely containing her excitement as she spoke again. "You would know. But you know what, brother, I think you should be done waiting." Elijah gave her a look, but let her continue as she waved her cellphone. "And I think Cami thinks the same, considering she's going to be waiting for another ten minutes out at Jackson Square."

Elijah's brow knitted together in fear, and mild confusion. "Freya, what did you do?"

Freya smirked and took a casual sip from her drink. "If Marlenie can play matchmaker why can't I? I phoned Cami, giving her some excuse of business to get her to come. She's waiting out there...so go."

"Freya," Elijah seemed almost mortified by what his sister had done. "This...this is completely-"

"A waste of my minutes if you don't hurry up," Freya cut in, finishing her glass of wine.

"But she's upset with me-"

"She was," Freya clarified. "But right now she's merely acting tough for show. Give her your charms and-" Freya winked, "-have a wonderful Christmas night."

For a minute, it looked as if Elijah wouldn't take the opportunity. But soon, he began smiling, and handing Freya his drink and kissing her cheek, he sped off. Freya laughed and finished his drink, turning to join Marlenie and Hope - who were given permission to continue with Christmas gifts in the lounge rooms downstairs. She was to be the supervision of her two nieces, and she couldn't think of a better way to end the night.

~ 0 ~

"Look, I know this is probably the thousandth voicemail I leave you, and if you want me to stop just give me a sign you're okay…" Maleny paused, simultaneously stopping and leaning against the second-floor banister, "...you can text me a simple word, one word to show me you're fine, and I promise I will stop these calls. I know I'm redundant and that I've said this so many times now, but...I'm sorry. I am _so_ sorry for everything. I shouldn't have led you on to believe what couldn't work again. I should have just told you who I am, and...clarified where I was. I needed a friend, but instead I deceived you. I'm sorry. I understand you don't want to talk to me, nor see me, but please, just give me this last thing and you won't ever have to hear my voice nor see my face again. Please, tell me you're alright. And, merry Christmas, Lucien."

Maleny pulled the phone from her ear, looking at it a minute before hanging up. The chances of getting a call back, or a text message, were almost non-existential, but Maleny kept hope.

"Mal," the call had her gasping loud and whirling around to find Klaus coming her way.

She sighed, assuming he had heard everything she left in the voicemail. "I don't want to argue," she said. "If you heard then you know it was all genuine, platonic concern."

Klaus nodded. "I still don't like it," he admitted, not that it was much of a surprise.

Maleny rolled her eyes, thanking her stars it wasn't going to be turning into an argument. "I wouldn't expect you to. This is just...something for _me_. I need to set things right, and doing so means I need to apologize."

"I'm not surprised," Klaus tried his best not to chuckle at her. Things were delicate as it seemed and he had to be extra careful with what he had planned next for her. "It's very like you."

"Hmm," Maleny hummed and turned to the balcony, clearly upset despite their ongoing civilized conversation.

"What's wrong tonight?"

"Just…" Maleny bit her lip, glancing his way, "...I just can't stop thinking about Rebekah's words. I mean, you once said the same thing - I'm fragile, I'm... _soft_ ," she rolled her eyes, "...and that's fine - for a while. I love that you care for me, that you want to protect me but...at the end of the day, I don't like knowing that you see me as this little breakable object," she mimicked with her hands, "that...that has to be put behind some glass. You didn't see me like that back in the village, did you?"

"No," Klaus answered quietly, coming closer to her. "But the times are different, and there are _so_ many people who would be happy kill you just to _spite_ me. It wasn't long ago when you were kidnapped because of me."

"I remember," Maleny made a face at the reminder of crazy Aurora. "And, I guess, on some level, I probably _am_ this breakable thing. But I don't want to be treated as so - because believing it is what _makes_ me so. It's what allows others, like Aurora, to take advantage. Don't view me like that please," she whispered. "Don't put me behind glass like a doll."

The frailty in her voice shook Klaus deep inside. Her glossy eyes staring up at him, pleading him to do as she requested. He rested a hand on her cheek, smiling as she leaned into his touch. "I could never put you behind glass 'like a doll'," he began, finding it amusing when she scrunched her nose in confusion, "because if I did that, I wouldn't get to do this," he leaned down and kissed her.

Maleny kissed back rather quickly, draping an arm over his shoulder. She had missed lips and was eager to remember what it felt like to be kissed by him. Unfortunately, she had to pull away after a while because of her human lungs needed air.

"I suppose that would be kind of awkward to do if I were behind a glass," she giggled.

"Your sarcasm is something I truly missed, you know," Klaus kept surprisingly serious, Maleny noticed he seemed a bit different and she couldn't help feel nervous of it.

"Then why do you look like there's something else you're worried about?" she asked him. "For tonight, we are allowed to forget everything outside this building. Example," she pointed at herself, "I forget that my son is still out there somewhere, celebrating Christmas with God knows who. I also forget that I am competing against a deranged, thousand year vampire for your love. Oh, and let's not forget the prophecy that foretells the downfall of our family."

"One of those three are completely irrelevant," Klaus informed, though Maleny laughed. "Mal…" he said more sternly.

"C'mon, Klaus," she gave him a sharp look, "You know it's true. When you loved Aurora, you were _you_ \- in all your complete senses. What I had with Lucien was under a false identity. I didn't even remember him up until a month ago. And you? You're seriously going to say you never thought about that redhead in all this time? At least once?"

"My mind was occupied with a different woman-" Klaus said, or at least tried to anyways but Maleny cut him off.

"It's okay," she firmly assured. "I was the past - I was where I belonged."

But Klaus shook his head, looking more so determined then. "Come with me," he suddenly grabbed her hand and led her down for a room.

~ 0 ~

As Freya had told Elijah, Cami was beginning to get impatient waiting at Jackson Square. It was night and any people passing by were giving her odd looks for her solitude. She wrapped her arms around herself, cold in her dark, violet dress. Thinking it would only take a couple minutes with this sudden business call, she had only grabbed her purse and left for the place. But after an hour or so, she was growing irritated for being so 'stupid'.

"Camille?" the voice made her freeze for a minute. She shut her eyes, then, squeezing them hard like doing so would make it not real. Elijah came a couple steps closer, but still kept a respectful distance from her. "Camille, please…"

Opening her eyes, Cami turned around, surprised yet somehow believing she had known something wasn't right in Freya's request. "Getting your sister to trick me…?" she began, but Elijah was quick to clarify.

"Freya did this without my knowledge. You must understand I could not let this opportunity pass me by."

"What opportunity?" snapped Cami, "To see me like an idiot who waited for the Mikaelson witch?" she made to walk past him but he grabbed her arm, forcing her to stay there, and close to him.

"Don't leave me," Elijah whispered, looking down to her softly. She looked beautiful in her dress, her curled hair complimenting her angel-face as he thought it was.

"Elijah, I don't want to do this," Cami sighed, shaking off his hand from her arm. "It doesn't work between us - it can never work."

"If you believed that you wouldn't have helped us retrieve Rebekah," Elijah said sharply.

"I did that because I wanted to help you guys. Not to mention there's the little detail of my life hanging onto yours," Cami pointed. "You die, I die. Call me selfish, if you'd like."

"I will call you a liar," Elijah came up with instead, surprising her with his bluntness. "I'm not asking anything from you except this one night. Allow me to take you to dinner, anywhere you'd like-"

"Elijah-"

"We can just stand here if you say so," Elijah persisted, growing more determined by the second, "and I will be content. Please?"

Cami sighed and looked to the side. "If the Strix see us together…"

"Then maybe standing out here isn't the right thing to do," Elijah half-smiled. "But I do know of this lovely restaurant you might like."

Cami playfully rolled her eyes. "We don't even need the meal, you know that."

"I frankly don't care," Elijah chuckled. "It's the mere thought that counts, don't you think? Please, shall we?" he gestured.

Biting her lip, Cami racked her mind for any possible way this could go wrong and she would wind up hurt. And even as she came up with about ten, her hand automatically reached for his. Elijah smiled for a moment before the temperature of her skin got to him. He shook off his black coat and gently placed it around Cami's shoulders. The blonde flushed and smiled, allowing him to take her hand soon after.

~ 0 ~

"I don't understand what we're doing here," Maleny said as Klaus pushed a dresser away from a wall. They were in his art studio but apparently there was something she hadn't yet seen in the room.

"I often regretted not showing you this earlier," Klaus said as he put a palm on the brick wall, bitterly laughing to himself. "I suppose it would have avoided us many arguments if you realized how much you meant to me."

"Showed me what?" Maleny stepped forwards, crossing her arms.

"Life is like a city- built in layers. No matter what new experiences come along, the foundation remains," and then with such severe force, Klaus punched a fist into the wall.

Maleny jumped in her spot, alarmed with the action. "We're okay!" she quickly shouted, looking out to the open door where she was sure the others would have heard. "Klaus, what the hell was that?" she hissed and returned her attention back to the wall.

But as the last pieces of the wall fell to the floor, she caught sight of a never before seen portrait of herself. It was old, that much she could see straight off.

"When was this…?" she stepped towards it, her eyes scanning every last feature of it.

She was, once again, the simple village girl in a portrait that was far too kind with its beautiful colors and scenery. She suddenly laughed, her hand going up to her hair. "My flower crown…"

Klaus backtracked till he stood beside her, also viewing the portrait like it was his first time. "Two hundred years ago, it was my art studio. It became a tomb for my memory of you."

Maleny blinked, glancing sideways at him. "But I was dead to you. I mean, I was Maya at the time but I-" she gestured to herself, "-was dead to you."

Klaus nodded his agreement with her. "I thought if I painted what haunted me, I could free myself of you forever. But centuries have proved I have never been more wrong about anything."

Maleny moved to stand in front of him, her back to the portrait. "But I was _dead_. You couldn't have...you _shouldn't_ have…" she shook her head. "You should have let me go."

Klaus reached to touch her face, making her stay still. "You think there's a competition between you and Aurora, but you won the moment you returned to my life. I suspect the only reason I was ever able to love her was because, as you said, you were dead in my mind. But now you're here. You're standing before me - your beautiful self with your pretty blonde hair."

Maleny smiled, flushed. "And would you really be content with someone like me? A girl who made flower crowns," she pointed back without taking her eyes off him, "Or, a woman who barely understands the concept of 'Halloween'? Because you were right, we are opposites sometimes. And I think it's only fair we finally discuss all this. I don't want to go back to ignoring everything we are. I am naive, and you are clever, I am clueless of this new world, and you almost run it."

"You're progressing, Maleny," Klaus assured, "and you will continue to learn like you have. You are a fighter, but with different weapons."

"I'm a weak fighter," Maleny quietly said. "Fragile one…"

Klaus traced his fingers over her cheeks, becoming nearly entranced with her scent. "There is beauty in the courage of the fragile fighter- those who persevere despite all they've been through. That is what I admire most of you."

"Hmm, really?" Maleny arched an eyebrow up.

"Absolutely," Klaus nodded. "And I know that within the next week, the next months...within the next years..." he paused suddenly, retracting his hands from her. That nervous glint Maleny identified earlier had returned to his eyes, to his entire body. She watched him reach inside his jacket, pulling out a medium-sized silver box. He placed it over her palm, encouraging her to open it with a silent look.

Maleny looked at the box, gently raising its top to see what laid inside.

The sight made her freeze.

"Hopefully, if it's not too late," Klaus continued, his voice now shaking, "...within the next _centuries_ , you and I could learn of new things to admire about the other."

Maleny lifted the vial of blood from the box, her face pale with shock. Her fingers curled around the vial, gripping it tightly like it would slip away from her. "I-it's…"

Klaus took a deep breath before making his final statement. "You have given me your 'always', would you give me your 'forever' as I wish to give to you?"

Maleny shuddered a breath, her hand dropping the empty box to the floor. With teary eyes, she nearly lunged for Klaus simply to give her response in the form of a passionate kiss.

~ 0 ~

Just as Elijah returned to the table he and Cami had taken, Cami hung up on a phone call. She thanked him for her glass as Elijah took a seat across the table.

She sighed. "That was Alton and Yamilet. They're leaving the Quarter tonight."

"The best thing they could do, honestly," Elijah admitted. "This place...it's about to become the scene of a war."

"Yeah," Cami muttered. "Tell me something else I don't know."

There was a moment of awkward silence, but when Elijah spoke up again Cami wished he hadn't. "I would prefer if you left as well."

"Excuse me?" The blonde blinked rapidly.

"Save yourself, Camille, and leave," Elijah requested with a near broken heart. "You deserve far better than being constantly thrown into my family's fights. You deserve to…" his eyes bore into hers with such intensity Cami felt overly nervous than irritated, "...you deserve to see wonderful places. You deserve-"

"Stop," Cami ordered, her voice soft. "Please, stop. Is this why you took me here? To tell me to leave?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "But seeing you, all beautiful and dressed up, reminds me that this is only for one night. For mere hours. By tomorrow morning you'll be back with the Strix, fighting more of their enemies - coming to fight _me_."

Without thinking, Cami took his hand over the table. "I'm in this _for_ you and your family. Because no matter what happened between us I want you alive."

Elijah gripped her hand, his fingers finding a way to interlace with hers. He relished in the rare moment of peace and affection. "Camille," he began quietly, never knowing the effect of using her full name had on Cami, "I appreciate your attempts, your time on me and my family, but-"

"No," Cami cut him off, startling him with the determination in her tone. "Elijah," she sighed, "it's no secret I, um…" she blushed then, coughing awkwardly, "...I, uh...have feelings for you, so of course that's an extra motivation," both shared flustered smiles, "But I am doing this for my city, for people who don't deserve to die. I like helping people, don't take that away from me."

Elijah looked at her a long while, and finally placed his other hand on hers as well and smiled. "It seems like I now understand the troubles Niklaus goes through with Maleny - it is almost impossible denying you something."

Cami laughed wholeheartedly, knowing she was blushing like mad. When Elijah raised her cupped hand to kiss it, Cami discovered the conflict _Maleny_ went through with Klaus. It was nearly impossible breathing right with such intense looks from them.

~ 0 ~

Maleny and Klaus had moved to the latter's bedroom. In the middle of the room they stood, kissing, until Maleny pulled away for a moment to catch her breath. With an incredibly happy smile, she held the vial of blood between them. "Tonight? Or tomorrow?" she asked curiously.

"Whichever you please," Klaus replied, honestly. The excitement on her face was unlike anything he had ever seen - it was impossible not to laugh just a little.

Maleny considered the upsides for a minute before returning her eyes to Klaus. "I think...tomorrow." Although the answer was a little surprising, Klaus took it with a simple nod. "I waited long for a proper Christmas, and I'd like to finish it as how I started it - a human."

Klaus took the vial from her then, speeding to the dresser to leave it there. He returned in a flash, taking her by the waist. Maleny giggled as he turned them for the bed.

"Take your last look at this human because tomorrow she's gone," Maleny warned with a wide smirk. "And then-" she kissed him softly, "-what wonders await for us, hm?" she asked with a suggestive look on her face.

"I'd be happy to discover," answered Klaus all too quick, making Maleny laugh. He started kissing her again, backtracking her to the bed. His hand trailed searched for the zipper of her dress, causing Maleny to pull away with another smirk.

"You're gonna have to work for that," she warned, sitting on the bed first and scooting a bit back.

"I accept that challenge," Klaus moved to get on the bed with her, crawling over her. He truly was never one to let a challenge just slip by.

~ 0 ~

"I can't believe that just happened," Marlenie looked at her aunt Freya as the two returned to the compound after a...interesting meeting with Rebekah. As it turned out, the cure had not been enough and Rebekah was on a one-way path to insanity if she was not subdued. So, they had to dagger her. But on Rebekah's request, they would not tell either of his brothers for the time being.

"I can't believe we just did that," Marlenie feebly remarked, holding little Hope closer to her, the baby completely unaware of what happened around her. She chewed on the wooden craft Klaus had made for Rebekah when they were children.

"For now, it's best we follow Rebekah's instructions," Freya sighed, coming to sit at the couch.

"I know," Marlenie nodded, resigned. She turned her head to Hope and smiled. "If your mother knew where we took you she would kill me!" Hope responded with a giggle, flapping her free hand. "Let's go get you changed, yeah?"

Freya nodded for her niece to go while she took a moment to herself and processed what they had done. They hid Rebekah's body in a temporary location, for it was dark and with a baby it was impossible to go far away.

Freya shut her eyes, letting her head fall back as she groaned in frustration. "Ooh, why can't _anything_ be simple?" she asked herself.

Suddenly, she heard noises coming from the front entrance. She believed it to be Elijah so she quickly sobered from the tragedy. "Elijah?" she called but when she heard the distinct noise of suitcase wheels she knew it wasn't her brother.

A young man with dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes nervously came out from the dark, and upon seeing Freya he froze in his spot. "A-aunt Freya?"

It took only a second to realize who the young man was, and immediately Freya dashed to go meet him in an embrace. "Nicolas!"

Nicolas Mikaelson took his aunt into a tight hug, laughing as he was taller than she was and planted multiple kisses on her hair. "I-I can't believe it's _you_! Like, proper _you_ …" he pulled away, eyes big as he studied her fancy clothes and genuine happier face.

Meanwhile, Freya took to studying _his_ face. He looked exactly the same as the last time they saw each other - centuries ago. But being free of Dahlia's control was a reason to be more joyful, and it showed on Nicolas' face.

Freya remarked the first thing that popped into her head. "You really do look a lot like your father."

Nicolas warmly smiled, eyes roaming up to the second level of the compound. "I-is he...is he here? I...I don't know what's going on, aunt Freya. How did you defeat aunt Dahlia? How did my mother escape those awful sacrificial witches? How did she find you all? How did _you_ find them? How-"

"Aunt Freya!" Marlenie called from the lounge room, coming out with Hope (now in a Christmas onesie) in her arms.

Freya turned around in time to see the woman coming in, and wondered how they would all react to the new arrival. Nicolas looked over Marlenie with a sense of familiarity, but the centuries had turned the once child Marlenie into a proper woman. The same happened to him.

Freya looked between them curiously. "Oh, don't tell me you don't know who they are," she spoke to both, chuckling. "I'm sure even Hope would know judging by the fact all three of you share the same eyes."

Marlenie fit the pieces in rather fast when she saw the suitcase behind Nicolas, and the clear travel clothes...and the eyes. The eyes were what told her exactly who he was.

"N-Nick?" her frail voice dared to ask.

"That's...impossible," Nicolas breathed in. "Marlenie?"

"Oh my God!" Marlenie cried out in utter happiness and rushed to hug her slightly older brother. "It's you! It's you!" she draped one arm around his neck, the other still holding Hope.

Nicolas leaned the side of his face on Marlenie's head, grasping the fact she was there - _alive_. "Of course it's me. But... _you_...you're a…"

"...vampire," Marlenie sniffed and pulled away, sheepishly smiling. "I had to meet my father, remember?"

Nicolas chuckled, and at that moment he made Hope squeal out like she clearly wanted to be included in whatever was going on. Nicolas laid eyes on her, evidently confused by the presence of the toddler, but nonetheless pleased to have the child. "And who's this little one?" he eyed the wooden craft in Hope's small hand.

"Oh, well...this is Hope," Marlenie slightly turned to bring Hope closer to Nicolas, "...our younger sister."

Nicolas' eyes widened in shock, flickering to Freya for confirmation. Freya chuckled and nodded. "D-did our mother…"

"No," Marlenie cut in before he made the assumption. "Hope is our step-sister. And, just before you get the idea, her mother is married and loves another."

That did make Nicolas feel a little better. What a disillusion it would have been to come home and see his father was with another woman, with a _child_ as well.

"Hope, meet your big brother," Marlenie handed the toddler over to Nicolas, who nervously took her. "You and I are gonna make sure to annoy him like the good little sisters we are."

Hope tilted her head and looked at Nicolas, much like he did to her. Suddenly, Hope flapped a hand on his cheek, giggling.

"That means she likes you," Freya came to stand beside Marlenie.

Nicolas smiled and tickled Hope's stomach, eventually moving onto the two people he was dying to meet. "And, um…" he looked upstairs again, "...Mum...she's...and Dad...they're…"

"They're here," Freya nodded, smiling softly. "And they have been waiting for you for so long now." The piece of information made Nicolas brighten up. He had been rather nervous coming over to practically introduce himself to the two parents that he assumed new nothing of him except of his existence.

"But," Marlenie said before he could move a step, "I don't think you'll be meeting them today." Nicolas raised an eyebrow. "They had problems before, but I'm pretty sure they fixed it. So...you can assume they're, uh…" she cleared her throat, awkwardly finishing, "...a bit _busy_."

Freya snickered, mockingly scolding her niece with a look...while Nicolas just laughed and returned his attention to Hope who was flapping her little wooden craft in front of his face. He didn't mind spending the night with them.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_**

OH. MY. GOD. AM. I. RIGHT? Do you all see why this one was a chapter I was really excited about? Mal is finally getting her wish and Nicolas has arrived! What did you guys think!? Please let me know!

 _ **For Reviews:**_

Aww well here's the next chapter and I really hope you liked it! Dude I love writing protective-Klaus too ;) Oh yes, Cami/Elijah are a bit of an interesting couple but they do get together at some point ;)). Thank you! I really wanted to make Marlenie like the true blend of Mal & Klaus and then make Nicolas a bit more like one of the parents. You'll see who he resembles most as he gets to be better introduced! Well, I hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter and the episode. I have to admit that because I'm a die-hard Klamille shipper I felt like I was betraying them when I was giving some of their lines and scenes to Mal.

Riiiight? I bet if Mal was a bit more bold with her words she probably would have told Aurora that herself xD. Yes, I feel Aurora is definitely the type to be this childish and just go for those sorts of kills. Tee hee, it's a super-hero story ;). I'm so excited for that one - like a dork actually *hides face*. Well, finals week is next week and I haven't stepped foot near the theater lmao. I'll have to catch it after school ends with my cousins. They have all the movies on demand or something like that so I'm good. Duuuuuuuude I wanna see Mulan too! My sister and I are like "they have to do 'I'll make a man out of you' or we walk out of the theater' xD. Nah you weren't rude, it's a very good point! But who knows why they haven't made one. I guess I'll just have to stick with Mulan for now lol

* * *

Next chapter we get that serratura episode uh-oh! But we also get the meeting of Nicolas & his parents! I loved those moments and I hope you will too! Until next time ;)


	8. All About Us

**Author's Note:** _So because now we have Nicolas Mikaelson in the game, it's time for a visual reference. I see Nicolas looking like the actor **Polo Morín** with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes._

* * *

Vincent stood inside an altar at the cemetery, lit with several candles despite it being day out. He had finished taken over as Regent just last night, and was ready (or so he thought) to keep the fight against the vampires. When he heard clicking heels coming in, he sighed and prepared.

"Cami?" he was rather surprised to find the blonde standing across him, her hands inside her black coat's pockets.

"You're Regent now," Cami said, like she hadn't known it - or like she hadn't had a hand in making it happen.

"Yes, I am," Vincent nodded. "And I suppose now I'll have the honor to meet the Lord Tristan de Martel? Cos I'd like a word with him - he's had the Strix vampires watching me, tailing me, listening to me. I do hope they know I'm not an easy target."

"Vincent-" Cami began but Vincent had entered a state of hostility against her, or more specific the Strix. He knew she wasn't a traitor, but it was still mighty difficult to see her with the enemy.

"I'm sick and tired of good people falling victim to the trash that the Originals bring to town. Now, normal people can't enforce justice on vampires, but I will. I can, and I will. So... You guys keep watching me, but know for sure I'm watching you, too."

"Vincent-" Cami said again, sharper, "-please," she suddenly went soft as she pulled out a familiar blue talisman from her pocket. Vincent's eyes widened in horror, taking several steps back. "They're coming," Cami said quietly, "and if you don't help them activate the Serratura...they _will_ use the talisman to bring back Finn. _Please_ ," she pleaded, "We'll find a way to stop them, but...do this."

Clearly conflicted, and immensely afraid, Vincent took a while to decide his limited options. Cami sympathetically awaited the answer she knew she would get from her friend.

~ 0 ~

The soothing hand Maleny felt stroking her arm was pleasing, but also a sneaky way of waking her up - and she wasn't ready to leave the bed yet.

"Let me sleep," she commanded in a raspy voice, trying to shake off Klaus' hand in a weak manner. But when she felt the kisses pressed on her bare back, she opened her eyes, 'resigning herself' to the wakening. She shifted and turned on her other side to meet Klaus' smirking look with a sarcastic smile. "I'm not going to sleep anymore, am I?"

Klaus was resting on his side, a hand running down Maleny's arm. "You're a clever woman…"

"I'm still kind of...tired," Maleny admitted, her face brightening up with pink tinges. The comment however, seemed to provoke Klaus into a smug state. "Shut up," Maleny quickly warned before he even opened his mouth. "Say a word and I kill you - and you know what'll happen next when you come back."

Klaus feigned thought but then laughed and proceeded to kiss her anyways. Maleny hummed as she wrapped her arm around his neck, forgetting what she had been threatening in the first place. By the time Klaus pulled away, Maleny was in a dazy state.

"Good morning, love," Klaus innocently greeted her. "Sleep well?"

"Comfortably," she replied back with a light laugh before sobering completely and turning serious. "I missed you."

"As did I," Klaus admitted, a hint of guilt traceable in his voice. He let his hand trace her face and down to her neck, taking his last look at his human girl and unable to help the feeling transgress onto his face.

"You're going to miss it, aren't you?" Maleny quietly asked, reaching for his hand and placing it over her heart. "The live, beating heart you're so used to..."

"You know the reason why I refused before," Klaus sighed, letting Maleny think to his confession earlier in the night. "In a couple of hours, this heart will be dead. It will have stopped...because of me."

" _No_ ," Maleny outright refused to let that thought sit around in his mind. "On the contrary, because of you, this heart will continue to beat for an _eternity_...at _your_ side. Is that not better than having it beating for a couple of more years before it stops from a heart attack?" the unamused look sent her way made her remark, "Let's be honest, I'm not the healthiest eater out there."

Klaus smiled, taking her sarcasm as momentary relief from the bigger picture. "My consolation is that I no longer have to fear losing you. You're right, it _is_ better, _so_ much better."

Triumphantly, Maleny smiled and propped herself up on her elbows, letting her messy hair fall back over her shoulders. "Then let's forget the depressing side and focus on the much more exciting parts…" she smirked. "Care to give me a preview?" she leaned forwards as much as possible to place a very small, and yet largely teasing, kiss on his bottom lip.

The look on Klaus' face said it all. He brought her by the neck to his lips again, roughly kissing her till he let her fall to the bed again. But minutes later they heard a loud knock on the door.

"Mum! Dad!" called Marlenie, still knocking afterwards. "I know you can hear me! You _have_ to come out already! There's a _big_ surprise in the living room. If you don't come out in the next ten minutes I _will_ come in there, even if it's with my eyes closed. Ten minutes!"

When Klaus heard her footsteps distancing as she walked away, he groaned and rolled off Maleny. "Your daughter has impeccable timing…"

Maleny chuckled, sitting upright with the sheets hugging her body. "So she's my daughter when she irritates you, but she's your daughter when she wins a training fight?"

Klaus smirked to himself. "Her skills are clearly from her father."

"Show off," Maleny rolled her eyes. "C'mon, she wants us out there, clearly."

Although sighing, Klaus did sit back up, intending on getting ready. Before he did so, however, he reached for Maleny. She yelped when she was abruptly pulled forwards for a passionate kiss.

"W-wow," Maleny breathed in after it ended.

With a mighty smirk, Klaus declared. "Now we can go."

~ 0 ~

Now joined by Tristan and a second witch, Cami stood across from where Vincent was finishing up the spell meant to activate the Serratura. Vincent placed down a bowl of blood on an altar, mumbling needed words of all spell.

Impatient with the entire sight, Tristan called out, "I trust this won't take much longer? I'm on a schedule."

Vincent glanced over his shoulder, glaring. "Look, man, if you want me to activate your big, bad Serratura, you're gonna have to back up. Give me some space."

Tristan seemed mildly amused. "Or, I could always have my witch put Finn back inside of you. Have him complete the deed." To remind Vincent of his situation, he raised Freya's talisman. "I'm sure he'd be quite pleased to aid in his brothers' downfall."

Vincent sighed. "I do this for you, I get that pendant."

"Of course. That was the deal."

With that, Vincent returned to the spell. He dipped his hands into the blood bowl, finally casting the spell for the Serratura. As he raised them back up, he let the droplets of blood fall over the medallion beside it. He then flicked his fingers outwards, making all the candles in the room blow out.

Afterwards, he picked up the medallion and made way for Tristan. "You wanted it, you got it. Give me the pendant."

Tristan took the medallion from him, briefly inspected it, then gave the calm order to, "Hold him here." The guards he brought along did the task and forced Vincent away from him. "We may have use for him yet."

As Vincent was dragged away, he shouted angrily. "You really want to mess with a Tremé witch?"

Tristan ignored him and glanced at the witch beside him. "If he acts up, place my old friend Finn back inside him."

The witch nodded and took the pendant, leaving to go after the guards with Vincent.

Cami loudly sighed and gave a look at Tristan. "That's going to cost us down the road. What's your plan now?"

"Worry will be the death of you, Camille," Tristian, for some reason, chuckled and left the room. "The rest of our plan is already in play," he called.

Cami, concerned, whipped her phone out and dialed.

~ 0 ~

In the living room upstairs, there was quite a cheery gathering of Mikaelsons, all except Rebekah and Hayley. Even young Hope was squealing happily in the middle of the room.

"What the hell were you doing there in the first place?" Marlenie was asking her older twin, wearing a mixture of laughter and confusion.

Nicolas, who sat beside her on the couch, was flushed with embarrassment. "I wanted to know what a drink tasted like. So I snuck in and-"

"I'm going to ground you," Freya disapprovingly shook her head at her nephew.

"He'd probably come up with some excuse on why he did nothing wrong," Elijah remarked beside her as he took a drink from his glass, adding afterwards with a smirk, "That's what his father does to this day."

"Maleny is no stranger to the fake innocent acts as well," Freya laughed. "She can just get away with it more often because of the fact she has an innocent looking face."

"Which I intend to keep using," Maleny called mere seconds before she and Klaus came into the room. "Why are we discussing my face now?" her eyes looked from one person to the next suspiciously until they landed on the new visitor. Immediately she gasped and stepped back, bumping into Klaus.

He too saw the young man that had certainly not been there last night. Nicolas nervously rose from his seat, eyes scanning every thing he could from his parents...because those were his parents right? He recognized his mother instantly, but his father was a complete stranger to him.

"Y-you…" Maleny slowly started for Nicolas, her eyes shining the closer she got.

Nicolas shuddered a breath when she put a warm hand on his cheek. He forgot what it was like to have a tender, mother touch. He never had one with her real hand.

Marlenie shakily chuckled. "I forgot how beautiful your eyes are." She quickly glanced back at Klaus. "Look, they're yours!" She quickly returned her gaze to her son, her tears beginning to spill. "You're back, you're back my baby boy," she hugged him tight.

Nicolas gasped and urgently hugged her back. He rested his head on her shoulder, ignoring her smaller statute. He wanted- no, he _needed_ \- to hug his mother after centuries. It didn't even feel like it was real for the first couple of seconds. It was like the first moment where he had arrived to France to find the Collins' current descendants. Once proving he was who he said he was, the Collins revealed - and confirmed his suspicions - that his mother had woken in her true body almost a year ago and had gone back to his father in New Orleans. It had taken Nicolas a couple of hours to adjust to the fact that his mother was alive and in her body, and much more that she had found Klaus already.

Maleny pulled away with the biggest smile on her face, her hands once again cupping his face. "You have _grown_ so much. You look like..."

As she turned around, Nicolas looked to Klaus who had remained rather frozen in place.

"I told you you'd find him one day," Maleny softly said.

Nicolas moved around his mother to walk up to Klaus. Without warning, Nicolas encased him in a hug. The look on Klaus' face was indescribable. Nicolas was holding onto him like his life depended on it, and instinct told Klaus to do the same. It was disbelief, and yet awe. He had a SON son...and with Maleny. The plans he and Maleny had once made as humans was finally complete. They had a family - with a twist - but it was all theirs.

Nicolas pulled away and excitedly, yet awfully nervous as well, studied Klaus from head to toe. Klaus wasn't sure what to expect from his son, but when Nicolas spoke up he felt far more comfortable.

"I can see where I get my good looks now," Nicolas declared, making Klaus widely smirk...and the others groan.

"Oh my God, I never thought I'd see the day someone had a bigger ego than Klaus," Maleny sighed.

"Don't scold the boy for his honesty, Mal," Klaus said, still studying Nicolas, "Clearly, his charms are inherited from me."

"My boy doesn't have charms," Maleny frowned. "He doesn't need to! He's six!"

"Mother," Nicolas wearily sighed, though his heart pinged happily hearing this conversation.

"He's not six anymore, Maleny," Klaus put an arm around Nicolas' shoulders, turning them both for the blonde. "He's a proper man now - he's developed charms."

Marlenie exchanged a look with Freya, both smirking as Marlenie moved to her mother's side. "Oh well, you know I have my own charms too," she declared, and instantly saw the fall of Klaus' approval. "I use them all the time."

" _No_ you do not," Klaus corrected her.

Maleny laughed. "That's my girl!"

"Mal!"

"What?" Maleny then played dumb. "Marlenie's a proper woman now - has been for centuries. She's surely developed some charms."

"This is surely a sight to see," remarked Elijah to Freya as he went to sit down beside her. "A new generation of Mikaelsons and they're both cocky."

"Hey!" went the twins.

"Elijah, leave my kids alone," Maleny felt a shiver run up her spine after saying that. She loved the new feeling, seeing her twins, _her_ twins together and alive. She put her arm around Marlenie's shoulders and gestured with her other for Nicolas to come. The older twin came by and wrapped an arm around Maleny's waist. "We are a complete family now," she sighed with so much relief. "Everything's good now."

"We love you Mum," Marlenie said happily and kissed Maleny's cheek, Nicolas soon following. Even Klaus came by seconds later to join the hug he thought he'd never, ever get from anyone.

Maleny chuckled, locking eyes with Klaus. "I love you."

Elijah's phone going off cut into the nice moment. He took it out from his pocket and answered fast. "Hello, Camille…" he got up from the couch and walked out of the room.

"When did those two get back on speaking terms?" Maleny curiously asked as her twins left to go dote on their younger sister.

Freya smirked as she finished up Elijah's drink. "I may have done a thing last night."

"Well, it appears everyone had fun last night," Klaus mused, winding an arm around Maleny's waist. Maleny giggled when he pulled her closer to him.

"No doubt about that," Marlenie mumbled under her breath, receiving an elbow on her side by Nicolas.

And suddenly, Elijah reappeared by the entrance of the room, with a grin look on his face. "Niklaus, can I have a word with you?"

The low voice cut through everyone's mood and added to the eyes on the Original. Slowly, Klaus released Maleny and went after Elijah.

Maleny watched the brothers with suspicion, calmly calling for Marlenie's assistance. "Marls, could you listen into that?"

Marlenie picked up Hope and settled her onto her lap. "Of course - but I won't." She provoked a scolding glare from her mother. "It's a private conversation, mother."

"Spare me the excuses," Maleny rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

"Oh, c'mon, mother. Nick is back, shouldn't we just focus on that?"

The mention of her newly returned son made Maleny turn around, her face softening the moment she looked at Nicolas. "I suppose I can do that…"

Nicolas seemed more nervous about whatever was being talked about outside. "We could always focus on that…"

"Nope," Maleny walked over to the couch and sat beside him. "I want to learn about you. I...I don't know who you are…"

Nicolas faltered and looked down, appearing shameful. "Mother, when you last saw me I was six and innocent. Now, I am centuries old and nowhere near pure."

"That was Dhalia's fault," Freya interjected coldly. "She is the cause of whatever darkness we now hold inside of us, Nick."

Maleny took Nicolas' head into her hands. "Your aunt is right. You did what you did to survive. It's exactly what I did, what Marlenie did, what everyone in this family has had to do. Tell me the things you did, the things that made you laugh despite it all. I want to know all about you."

Nicolas chuckled, flushed with the attention. "Wow, um...I don't...I don't know where to begin…"

"Tell me what you like to do," Maleny quickly resolved the issue, excitedly awaiting. "Do you still do your wooden crafts?"

As Nicolas began to answer Maleny's questions, Freya silently slipped out of the room. While Marlenie didn't intend on listening in to the conversation going on in the corridor, Freya did.

"Can't she take it herself, then?" Klaus was in then middle of asking, near shouting, Elijah. "She is right there after all!"

"It's not that simple," Elijah shook his head, but Klaus didn't seem to understand.

"What bloody use is she infiltrating the Strix if she can't do something as simple as steal the talisman back?"

Freya's eyes widened, horrified to learn of her necklace's location. "The Strix took it?" she walked up to her brothers. "They have my talisman!?"

Elijah sighed but made no attempt to hide the issue. "Apparently, they're using it as a blackmail on Vincent. They've activated the Serratura and are keeping Vincent locked away in some part of the cemetery."

"Cami informed you of this?"

"Yes. She also warned us that Tristan is already enacting some other plan against us."

Freya straightened up then, looking between both brothers sternly. "Then we have to be one step ahead. First thing's first: I want my talisman back. Have Cami get it for me."

Elijah rubbed his temple at the fifth repeated request. Klaus agreed with Freya and began to voice it in. "It's simple, brother, Cami can do it. She's done worse things!"

"No, no-" Elijah mumbled, though visibly was growing agitated neither sibling listened to him.

"Elijah, it is imperative that I have my talisman again," Freya crossed her arms.

"She can't, she really-"

"She can't take back a bloody necklace?" Klaus almost sneered. "Ask her to take and-"

"No, stop it…"

"-then she can stay here if-"

"I said no!" Elijah finally snapped and glared at the two. "I will not have have Camille expose herself so stupidly for something one of us can do without tipping Tristan off. Now both of you quit demanding so childishly." He straightened his jacket, his hard stare still going strong. "You are so quick to forget that I happen to care for this woman and that I prefer to minimize the danger she is in."

As he walked away from the two, he heard Klaus mutter to Freya, "It's amusing he still can't say big, bad four letter word."

Freya snickered and elbowed him on the side. Klaus waited until Elijah was fully gone before speaking to Freya again, much more earnestly this time. "I would appreciate if none of this got to Maleny - at least for today."

Freya nodded. "I won't say anything but it'll be fairly hard for her not to realize there's something wrong when word of the Serratura's state reaches her."

"I just...not today," Klaus insisted. "Today is her day with her son. She deserves this and no one is taking it from her."

"And what about you?" Freya tilted her head. "Are you not allowed to have the same?"

"Not right now, unfortunately." And Klaus did his best not to show the disappointment he actually felt.

Fortunately for him, his sister was no fool. Freya rolled her eyes and motioned him to the living room. "Go and be with your children," she said before chuckling as she added, "and your 'almost wife.'"

"But-"

Freya was already pushing him towards the living room. "For a couple of hours, Niklaus. Just go get to know your son. I should warm you, he's quite mischievous so watch out."

Klaus didn't, surprisingly, insist more and soon walked back on his own to the living room, where apparently there was a good story being told by Nicolas.

~ 0 ~

Cami berated herself for ever thinking Vincent could stay in a good behavior with the guards Tristan had placed on him. As soon as she heard the shrill screams of the Opie witch who guarded the talisman with Finn's spirit inside, Cami rushed to see what trouble was brewing.

It was quite a spectacle to see if she admitted. Vincent had the witch on her knees with her face drenched in blood. One of the vampire guards had been crushed with am angel statue. The second had a fence pike through his chest and thus unconscious.

"Are you kidding me!?" the blonde exclaimed, wanting to pull her hair out at the moment. "One hour, one hour is all I asked of you." With a sigh, she sped across him to where the impaled vampire was getting up. She pulled his heart right out from his chest and killed him on the spot.

Vincent ignored her in favor of the talisman now lying on the ground. But before he made even two steps for it, Elijah appeared out of nowhere and snatched it up.

"Vincent! We should chat," he flashed a broad smile.

~ 0 ~

"I'm going to have to thank Freya all over again for looking after you," Maleny said after hearing Nicolas' story of his time with Dahlia. Freya had made it her life's mission to always make sure she was there for Nicolas when he needed her.

"It's because of aunt Freya that I got to escape from Dahlia," Nicolas admitted, sounding rather guilty. "She attacked Dahlia, feigning like she was tired of Dahlia's constant magic barriers. While she attacked, I ran off. I don't think I ever ran as fast as I did than that night."

Marlenie sympathized with her brother. Sitting on the couch chair, legs crossed, she entered a sort of distancing state. "I hear you," she spoke quietly, but captivated her family's attention, "I did the same thing to the Dawsons. I ran so fast..."

Maleny and Klaus shared looks of equal shame and guilt. Their children had to survive on their own, making dangerous plans in order to see another day in peace.

"You don't have to be guilty," Nicolas' voice drew them both back to the present. It seemed he had inherited Maleny's ability to perfectly to read their faces. "You weren't there because you couldn't be. Marls and I did fine in the end, didn't we?"

"Yeah," Marlenie smiled honestly. "We know that if you had knowledge of us, you would have searched the seas until you found us."

"While neither of us are happy that you had to spend so much time alone..." Maleny sighed, "...I suppose that I am grateful you both found family for a while."

"I am quite proud you decided to hide yourself in plain sight, Marlenie," Klaus admitted with a natural smirk. Marlenie matched it within the second. "You know, there were rumors that some noble lady had taken control of the Velden's business."

"Noble lady?" Nicolas eyed her sister in pure disbelief.

Marlenie loved the different looks and laughed. "What? Well, I had to make myself useful in that family of idiots. I sought to learn the business and make it my own. Though it was rather easy to do once I learned compulsion."

"How did you turn?" Nicolas suddenly asked but almost regretted it the next minute when everything went quiet. By the looks of his parents, he assumed Marlenie had not yet shared the details of her turn to vampirism.

"You said Lucien..." Maleny whispered, finding it incredibly hard to believe that she hadn't asked her daughter that question. She _had_ thought of it but she was afraid that she would overstep with Marlenie considering they didn't fully know each other yet.

"Yes," Marlenie answered rather boredly, apparently the matter was not as serious as her family thought. After a thousand years, it was difficult to find emotion over an event that changed her life for the better. "I suppose I have you to thank, Dad," she gestured languidly at Klaus who took it was surprise. "I mean, since Lucien was under the compulsion that made him believe he was you. So then, I guess, it's technically uncle Elijah I should be thanking. Lucien was never a good vampire in the beginning and so when he saw a young, homeless girl in the woods...he thought it was dinner."

"He drank from you...?" Klaus balled a fist.

"He had no control nor knowledge of how to make sure he finished the job," Marlenie continued to explain. Her calm face was truly a sight to see for her brother. She looked positively untroubled by her story. "He had his dinner and he left, probably to go meet up with Aurora and Tristan, and so while I was 'dying'-" she did air quotation marks, "-I remembered what the Dawson witches said about vampires. They learned it from you, Mum."

"Me?" Maleny frowned. "Learned what?"

"That if you die with vampire blood in your body, you will return as a vampire. So I gambled and took Lucien's blood that had dropped to my skin while I foolishly tried fighting against him and I drank it."

"And you became a vampire," Klaus had to admit that it was a rather clever plan of Marlenie.

"I was your second sire, Dad," Marlenie smirked. "So Nick, what's your liberation story?"

"What?" Nicolas blinked.

"How'd you get to China? I mean, I stopped at England in the end. But China? That one never crossed my mind."

"It was simple," Nicolas shrugged. "I needed to put a literal ocean between me and Dahlia. Aunt Freya said to get away so I got away. China seemed like the logical way to go."

"Those are some very good stories you two," Maleny believed she would never get used to the oddness of their family. "Hopefully, you will never have new ones to tell because you're staying with us...right?"

"Right," went both twins instantly.

~ 0 ~

Vincent still sat on the ground of the cemetery, against a tomb wall, as he explained to Elijah and Cami the situation on the Serratura. "Look. I don't know what to tell you, man. You want your big, bad Serratura, you're gonna have to go after Tristan because he took it with him after he forced me to activate it."

"Tristan's long gone," Cami looked at Elijah before he got any ideas.

"Deactivate it, then," Elijah ordered Vincent, but received a shake of head.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to," Vincent said, eyeing the talisman Elijah still held in his hand, "And just for the record, I'm all done with vampire demands for the day. Push me and see what happens."

"Vincent," Cami's sharp tone made the man look her way.

Elijah didn't take the threat lightly and warned back, "You don't want to see what happens. My family's in jeopardy, you're responsible."

"That's on you, man!" Vincent snapped. "If Tristan didn't have the pendant, then he wouldn't have any leverage over me."

Elijah raised the pendant as if to remind him who now held the leverage. Cami used her speed to snatch the pendant from him and returned to her spot. "We are not threatening him with something like this," she warned him. "We'll find another way to get the Serratura."

After much thought, Elijah, Cami and Vincent returned to the compound, sadly still having nothing in regards to the Serratura. They only made it halfway down the courtyard when Elijah heard the whisper-shouts from Freya. The blonde appeared from the dining room and quickly made a motion for all of them to come in.

"Freya, what's the matter?" Elijah asked, puzzled with her secretive and yet terrified face.

Freya walked to the table where a small, cream-colored box rested on. She picked up a piece of parchment beside it and held it to Elijah. "A messenger came by. It was some compelled tourist and he left this."

Elijah walked over and took the letter from her and raised the lid of the chest, horrified to see a bloody heart inside. "Who?" Elijah swallowed hard, shutting the lid fast.

"Jackson," Freya sighed, meeting the looks of Cami and Vincent.

"I swear...I didn't…" Cami began, looking far too terrified to be a fake act. She never imagined Tristan had planned this after Vincent. It made her sick to know the kind of people she entangled herself with.

Elijah opened the letter and read it out loud for the others.

 _'Dearest friends, please find enclosed the heart of Jackson. Hayley's will follow unless you meet me at Coltrane's Autoshop, 1268 Adderly in the ninth. Kind regards, Tristan.'_

"So, unless we meet their demands, Hayley will be next," he rubbed his face in frustration.

"I haven't told Niklaus nor Maleny," Freya admitted. "They just...they looked so happy with Nicolas and...I couldn't interrupt."

"We're gonna have to," Elijah regretted the decision but knew there was nothing else to do.

And so...they did. It was quite the damper in the family atmosphere they had created but knowing their friend, and practically family member, was in danger made it worthwhile.

"We have to get Hayley back," Maleny said, to the point of raging for such a foul fate Jackson received. "And someone needs to die."

"Agreed," Marlenie had a face on, her arms crossed. She'd quite liked Jackson and thought him to be an excellent step-father for her younger sister, not to mention he knew how to fight really well.

"Two Original vampires, two regular vampires - one who's still a practic baby-"

"Watch it," Cami sent a glare towards Klaus who went on like she hadn't even spoken.

"And three powerful witches against an army of miscreants? I'm rather looking forward to this."

"We can get it to four witches," Freya said meekly as if it were a step up, "If we can get Amarrah here."

"Keep in mind that I'm mortal, and, as much as I want these guys out of my city, I like breathing," Vincent cut in with a sharp edge in his voice. "So, let me go to the covens. I can propose an alliance. They hate you guys, but if I explain what's going on…"

"There's no time," Elijah shook his head.

"There never is," Maleny sighed. "But I do feel the need to remind you," she met eyes with the three Mikaelson siblings, "that Tristan may be the very foe to lead you to your doom. Isn't this exactly what the prophecy foretold? Rebekah's on the run. We will not lose anyone else."

Freya and Marlenie exchanged discreet glances, both still majorly uncomfortable with their secret.

"I have no intention of being outmaneuvered by Tristan de Martel, of all people," Klaus scoffed, though he was fresh out of ideas.

"Intention's got nothing to do with it. As long as Tristan de Martel has the Serratura and your baby's mama, the advantage is all his," Vincent reminded bitterly.

"Then we snatch it from him," Nicolas spoke up for the first time, fairly lost on what exactly they were dealing with but he had enough knowledge to know about battles. "Everyone has a weakness - what's this guy's?"

The answer was clear between everyone in the room save him.

"Aurora," Maleny bitterly said, rolling her eyes. "Boy would I love to see her again for a round 2…"

"I can find Aurora, easy," Freya volunteered, "I'll just need something from her."

"And that'll be enough to get the guy's attention?" Nicolas had doubt etched across his face.

"More than enough," Klaus smirked.

"And we can trade her in for Hayley and the Serratura," Elijah added.

"Wait a minute," Maleny blinked as if she had just made a realization, "Why just _trade_ and leave when we can trade _and_ capture at the same time?"

"Mum, what are you thinking of?" Marlenie raised an eyebrow.

"You said the Serratura needed to be used in order to be destroyed right?" Maleny asked Elijah to be sure.

"Yes…"

"Then we have a way to seal Tristan away forever," Maleny glanced at Klaus, sharing a knowing look.

"No..." Klaus shook his head once he realized where she was headed for.

"Klaus, we don't have a choice. I'm going to die, might as well have some fun with it."

" _What_?" went the rest of the group in the room, no one knowing of the gift Klaus had given Maleny the previous night.

~ 0 ~

"It's settled, they've gone out to retrieve Amarrah, and Freya's doing the locator spell," Klaus said as he closed the bedroom door, sighing deeply once they were alone.

"It's okay," Maleny settled her hands on his face. "We discussed this-"

" _No_ ," he corrected, "You shared the idea and because of no other options yours won. I don't like it."

"Fair enough," Maleny agreed. "But look, it's been settled now. Everyone has a job, and I finally get to have one."

"It's _dying_ ," Klaus felt the need to remind.

"I was going to do that anyways," Maleny shrugged, trying to act nonchalant but it was so easily contrasted with her nervous eyes. She walked to the vanity desk where the vial of Klaus' blood had been placed in the mean time. "And you know what? It gives me so much satisfaction that the first thing I'll be able to do is take down a De Martel." She turned around with the uncapped vial in her hand and returned to the weary Klaus.

"You don't...you don't have…" Klaus raised a hand to her cheek.

"It'll be easy, right?" Maleny tried to keep her smile on but it was growing harder by the second. "I drink, you snap my neck, and bam...I'm in dead."

"Well, yeah, but…" Klaus sighed, "It's just...you deserved better."

"It'll be fine," Maleny put her hand on his arm. "This is what I wanted in the end, so no more sadness or anything bad...though, I do have to confess I am a smidge...scared," she nervously laughed as she raised the vial in a toast-like manner before drinking it down completely.

Klaus then remembered the way in which he had turned, or had been forced to turn, and was grateful that at least she wouldn't go through anything like that. He took the vial from her and threw it to the side. He cupped her face and smiled. "Just a second and then we'll have eternity," he pushed away his own fear and focused on her instead. Yes, he was scared, but this wasn't about him anymore. She needed him and he would be there.

Maleny bit her lip and nodded. "I know…"

Klaus smiled at her then leaned in to press a gentle kiss to her lips. Her hands gripped his arms, and her heartbeat only raced quicker. But, when they pulled away, she was smiling at him too.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he said, tracing her cheek with a thumb. He stared at her a another minute before finally doing it. He snapped her neck and her body fell limp into his arms. He held her tightly, the wave of emotions taking him over. "Eternity, eternity, eternity," he recited to himself to remember that she would wake up again.

~ 0 ~

In the backseat of a Strix car laid Aurora, who continued to be sedated by her brother's men. When she felt slightly conscious, she lifted her head and finally realized where she was. Before she could ask either Strix members where it was they were going, the one beside her injected her with a new round of sedative. She groaned as the new effects took place and soon fell unconscious again.

The driver noticed a figure in the distance, standing with arms open - it looked like he was casting a spell.

"Run him down," the Strix member beside Aurora ordered.

The driver nodded and pressed the pedal to go even faster. This didn't appear to faze Vincent as he stayed right where he was in the middle of the road. Instead, he snapped his fingers and caused the car to lose control and flip over. After a series of tumbles, the ruined car came to a stop. Of course, the vampires survived and made way for Vincent. They made two steps towards him when Elijah and Marlenie appeared behind to stake them in the hearts.

"Nice timing," Vincent remarked, but Marlenie was already going for the car.

She found Aurora in the middle of the car accident and yanked her out violently. The redhead was still dazed and groggy with the sedative given to her, but seeing Marlenie she groaned.

"Not you again…"

Marlenie rolled her eyes and controlled herself to only snap her neck.

~ 0 ~

"I can't believe you're actually here," Amarrah was still gaping at Nicolas, despite knowing who he was already.

"Yes," Nicolas sheepishly rubbed his neck. He wondered if these were these type of remarks and attention Marlenie had when she first arrived to the Quarter.

"Maleny must be so happy," Amarrah chuckled. "So, what's this plan you're talking about? Because if it truly does involve finally taking down some enemies these sign me up."

"It does," Nicolas nodded, "and it's a good one too. But we're gonna need some witches. Mum said you were a good one."

"I like to think I am," Amarrah got up from her couch and went for her things into the hallway, her loud voice echoing through. "So, I imagine Maleny is reluctant about playing the part herself?"

"Umm…" Nicolas raised his eyebrows, "...My mother's going to be playing a different part…."

"What is it?" Amarrah re-emerged with her bag slung over her shoulder.

"The neither dead nor alive part…"

Amarrah's face fell, as did her bag.

Nicolas stood up and lightly smiled. "Mum's going to be in transition very soon."

~ 0 ~

Some time later, Tristan, Aya and Cami arrived to the site of the car crash where only the two staked vampires remained. When Tristan heard his phone ringing and saw Elijah's name he angrily answered.

"If you touch a hair on her head-"

"I have no intention on touching her," Elijah's smooth, calm voice interrupted. "However, I cannot say the same of my niece. She seems to have inherited my brother's temper."

Tristan scowled and resigned. "State your terms."

"You'll meet us at Patrick's Dock, the warehouse. We exchange Aurora for Hayley and the Serratura. Oh, Tristan? I would make it snappy. I have the feeling Marlenie wants to begin her torturing lessons...that's if Niklaus doesn't get to it first."

Tristan was raging when the line cut off. He turned to the two women beside him. "Go retrieve that filthy cur. Double the dosage of wolfsbane. Make certain she suffers."

"Maybe we should think the worrisome through," Cami interjected, ignoring Aya's steady glare.

"I already have," Tristan snapped back coldly. "The Mikaelsons want to make a deal, so I'll give them exactly what they want. And, once I know Aurora is safe, I'll order the Strix to descend on them until we seal them away for all time."

Cami gulped inwardly and said no more. She really hoped this plan would work, otherwise they would all be done for.

~ 0 ~

In the old cathedral where Freya once hid stood the witch herself, Nicolas, Vincent and Amarrah. They were surrounded by lit assorted candles. On the table between them was a stone cauldron of blood with several animal bones scattered around it. Freya held a large burlap poppet that had a strand of familiar blonde hair pinned to its top.

"You think this is gonna work?" Vincent wearily asked.

Freya nodded and looked at them all. "We're all powerful in our ways. This should be a piece of cake."

"Right," Amarrah coughed awkwardly, "Show off hands who actually believes that."

Everyone shared meek smiles, of course there was that nagging doubt in their heads that something could go wrong. The minimal options they had scared them, but they had to push through.

~ 0 ~

At a large dock, the exchange of a vampire for a hybrid was just beginning. At least half a dozen Strix vampires had sped into the room in a strategic way so that the three Mikaelsons were surrounded. Tristan, Aya and Cami appeared in the middle, just across them.

"Gentlemen," Tristan gave a cold courtesy to Klaus and Elijah, then glanced at Marlenie, "Ma'am," Marlenie rolled her eyes, "I wish I could say it was a pleasure."

"Let's get on with this, shall we?" Klaus asked, impatient to see things through.

Tristan glanced over to a blonde vampire, nodding for her to leave. The blonde, along with a man, left for a couple seconds and re-emerged with a shackled Hayley in custody. The hybrid looked awful, her face and clothes covered in blood. When she was let go, she fell to the floor, unable to muster strength due from the wolfsbane injected into her.

"Hayley Marshall-Kenner, only slightly worse for wear," Tristan gestured, barely attempting to hide his satisfaction, "You'll have to forgive her if she seems a bit off. There's enough wolfsbane in her system to kill an entire pack. However, here she is, as requested. Now, where's my sister?"

"She lives, unfortunately," Marlenie crossed her arms.

"Marlenie and I wanted to flay her and hang her skin as a flag," Klaus shared with arms wide smirk on his face. "You can thank Elijah for that not happening. Anyway, enough chit-chat. Let's conclude this tedious business, shall we?"

"My sister first," Tristan narrowed his eyes. "And, if you're tempted to argue, consider the numbers."

The idea amused Klaus to no end. He walked up to Tristan, staring him dead in the eyes to show he was not the least bit intimidated. When Tristan showed a slight fear, Klaus felt like he proved his point and headed for a large, green shipping container at the end of the room. He opened it up and revealed Aurora sitting inside, bound to a chair with a black hood over her head.

"If they try anything, attack," Tristan said to Aya before speeding inside the container. He pulled the hood off her and while she appeared to be still sedated from the drugs earlier she was alright. He looked back to Aya, nodding them to complete the deal.

Aya motioned to the two vampires guarding Hayley to allow her to be taken. Tristan ripped the binding around Aurora's wrists and woke her up.

"Oh, brother, you came for me," she weakly smiled.

"Always," Tristan helped her stand and hugged her. "Come on. Come on."

In the middle of their hug, Aurora reached into Tristan's pants pocket and pulled out the Serratura. With a smirk, she pushed him away.

"Rory...? What are you doing?" Tristan cautiously reached to take the Serratura back.

She scoffed and slammed the medallion against the wall, instantly activating it. There was a violent shake only inside the container. Tristan was baffled and horrified, seeing the medallion now stuck to the wall...and forever.

"No... Aurora... What have you done to us!?"

Aurora pretended to pout. "Oh no, not to 'us'." She straightened up and walked right past him, out the shipping container, and came to a stop beside Klaus and Marlenie. "I did that to _you_."

There was a brief minute where she was covered in a magical haze. When it faded away, Maleny stood in her place.

Tristan's eyes widened in fury. "What is this!?"

"I call it the beginning of sweet revenge," Maleny clapped her hands together, a wide smirk across her face.

"How is this possible!?" Tristan shouted.

"The Serratura creates an impenetrable boundary. Nothing living or dead can pass through. And surprise, at the moment, I am neither nor!"

Tristan was truly terrified when it sunk in he was actually trapped inside. "No. No. NO!"

Klaus wound an arm around Maleny, murmuring in her ear. "Stay close to me, okay?"

It had been only an hour since she woke up, but the effects of transition were already becoming visible. Her face was pale, and her heartbeat slower than what it needed to be. Still, she dimly smiled to him and nodded her head.

"What are you waiting for? Take them! Now!" Tristan's raging shouts rang through the room.

The Strix members moved forwards to obey but Elijah stepped in. "Before you rush headlong toward almost certain death...as your sire, I would like you to employ just a little bit of common sense."

Aya scoffed. "We are ancient vampires, Elijah- each of us almost as strong as you."

"You might almost be successful in subduing us, but at what price? Most of you will die in the process, and for what? To avenge a fool marching you headlong toward your very extinction in the name of a witch's prophecy? You do realize he engineered absolutely all of this purely to satisfy some petty grievance against my family? Tristan doesn't care for any of you."

Tristan furiously pounced on the invisible barrier. "Stop listening to him!"

"The only danger here is the choice that you must make," Elijah smoothly smiled at the other vampires. "You see, I am not your enemy. It's true, I delivered you into this existence. I can just as easily pluck you out of it. The choice is yours to make."

Aya glared his way, apparently still considering the idea of fighting him. Cami took control and moved in front of her. "It's done, Aya. I don't think any of us should die because Tristan wasn't smart enough. No more waste."

Aya was surprised by the sharp edge in Cami's voice, but seeing their odds out she gave in. "Stand down," she ordered their rest.

"You will not abandon me!" Tristan exlcaimed, feeling helpless in his situation.

Aya gave him a piteous look. "It's a shame it has to end like this."

"Aya, this isn't over!"

Aya in return put a hand over her heart in a salute form. "May the ghosts of our fallen keep you company," she coldly said before taking leave with the other Strix.

"Aya. Aya! AYA!"

But despite his screams of outrage, the Strix left the warehouse without even glancing back. Marlenie decided to take Maleny back home in order to get some human blood in her system and finish the transition already. Before leaving, Maleny had to see Hayley.

"Are you okay?" the blonde was, comically, attempting to help Hayley stay on her feet.

"You had to die to get me back, and you're asking me how I'm doing?" Hayley shot her a dim smile.

"You just lost a husband," Maleny responded back more serious, "Of course I'm going to be asking if you're okay." There mere mention of Jackson pushed Hayley's smile off her face. Maleny sighed and hugged her tight. "I'm so sorry, Hayley. Jackson was a very good man."

Hayley stifled a sob as she pulled away from Maleny, no words coming to mind. Marlenie quietly approached the two. "Mum...we should get going…" Maleny turned to her daughter, feeling rather guilty for leaving. Marlenie just smiled and took her hand. "The hunger is going to get stronger, and your strength is going to be weakened if we don't hurry."

"Go," Hayley urged the blonde. "We wouldn't want you going blood crazy."

Maleny sighed but gave in. She did have this nagging at her stomach that told her she needed and wanted the blood. It was such a strange feeling honestly. To actually want to drink someone's _blood_.

"C'mon, Mum," Marlenie gently tugged Maleny to walk.

"Be careful with her, Marls," Klaus stopped them just by the doorway. "She's a special one right now," he kissed Maleny's temple.

Marlenie playfully rolled her eyes. "I get it, Dad."

"You just don't want me to lose control and feed off the first person I see, huh?" Maleny raised an eyebrow at him.

"You wouldn't," Klaus surprised her by sounding incredibly sure of himself.

"Oh? And why would you say that?"

"Because you barely made it after fighting of Esther's pack of wolves, remember?"

Maleny shifted and looked away, of course remembering that day. Curious of the memory they were talking about, Marlenie spoke up. "Why do you mean she barely made it fighting off wolves?"

"Let's just say, your mother is going to make a very interesting vampire," Klaus smirked rather proudly, bringing Maleny closer to him. The blonde rolled her eyes but said nothing. That memory was just one she didn't ever want to talk about.

"Whatever," Marlenie reached out for Maleny's arm, "We have to go, Mum."

"Yeah, fine," Maleny used a similar tone like her daughter, causing Klaus much amusement. She wiggled out of his grip and turned to him. "I'm glad we took one down. I can't wait to do the same with _her_."

Klaus took a little pride in her dangerous tone. She looked completely ready to take on the fight - he could only imagine what she would be like when she became a full vampire.

"Mum!" Marlenie hissed, feeling nauseous at the sight of her parents so...in their moment. She really wished they would just get a room already and leave their moments in there.

Maleny chuckled and finally listened to her daughter. Her stomach was hurting now with the hunger she wasn't pleasing.

~ 0 ~

"And you actually went with this plan?" Gia gaped at her blonde friend sitting across her, both of them having some drinks.

"What choice did I have?" Cami leaned against her couch. "It was either that or let them use the Serratura on Elijah and Klaus. I couldn't let that happen."

Gia gave her a look, and one that made Cami shift uncomfortably. "Cami, this is getting dangerous. You joined that stupid club for the Mikaelsons' sake, and now you're double crossing them...for the Mikaelsons! What happened to staying out of their problems?"

"I can't do that when my life is sired to Elijah's," Cami said matter-of-factly.

"Well, my life's sired to Klaus' but you don't see me putting my life on the line for his ass," Gia rolled her eyes. "I'll help, sure, but not when it involves me - a baby vamp - going up against ancient vampires."

Cami finished up her drink and set it on the coffee table between them. "Is this why you came over? To scold me like my mother would?"

"I'm just here to snap some sense into you," Gia shrugged, crossing one leg over the other. "You're letting your feelings for Elijah cloud your logical mind."

"This isn't about my feelings," Cami shook her head. "This is about survival."

"I can understand the survival part," Gia said, raising her hands in a neutral manner. "I get that it's survival for all of us vampires, but I just don't want you getting hurt."

Cami softly smiled at her friend. "I promise I will be careful."

Gia thanked her with a nod, but she was still overly concerned with the trouble Cami was getting into on behalf of Elijah and his family. There was a feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her something bad would happen because of it.

~ 0 ~

"How can Aurora be gone!?" Klaus fumed after Freya in the downstairs living room of the compound. Behind him was Nicolas, who was annoyed himself over the loss of the redhead.

"Apologies," Freya turned around, bumping into Klaus, "We left your lunatic ex unattended. See, we were busy casting the spell that saved the day. The effort left us a little taxed."

"She was drugged into a stupor and confined by your spell!"

"Clearly she had some help from a witch or at the very least someone with access to dark objects," Nicolas said, causing a quick realization in both older Mikaelsons.

"Lucien," Klaus gritted his teeth. "He's that furious with us-"

" _You_ ," Freya made sure to correct. "You're the one that took Maleny from him - in his eyes anyways."

"Should I even bother to ask?" Nicolas curiously looked between both.

" _No_ ," was his answer from a sudden grim father.

Nicolas made no further questions. He would just ask Marlenie later.

~ 0 ~

"I'm fine, Marls," Maleny sighed after her daughter repeated her question of 'do you need anything else?'. She would much rather continue watching and listening from the balcony to whatever the street had to offer.

Marlenie was expecting this type of behavior due to her previous experience with other people she'd turned in the past. She walked back into the bedroom to collect the empty blood bags when Klaus walked in.

"How is she?" he quietly asked, forgetting that Maleny now had supernatural hearing just like he did.

"She-" Maleny called from the balcony without looking back, "-is just fine!"

Marlenie gestured to her mother, playfully rolling her eyes. "She's all yours." She picked up the rest of the empty blood bags and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

When Klaus walked out to the balcony, a bit cautious. Maleny was still looking out the city with such focus. He wasn't quite sure what to say to her right now, but he did revel in the fact she looked peaceful.

"It's so amazing," she began in a quiet voice, "I can hear the jazz music playing on the next block...and I can hear the clinking of beer bottles...people laughing...all these things that I never once paid attention to are buzzing in my ears."

"That will order itself out with the hours," Klaus said, thinking she was perhaps uncomfortable with all the new heightened senses.

Maleny chuckled and turned around, leaning her back against the banister. "You think I'm upset? Klaus, I'm _fascinated_! It's all so...surreal. It's nothing compared to when I was put in Yamilet's body and became like Hayley."

"Well, I'm glad to see you had control…"

But Maleny's face made Klaus rethink his words. "You, um…" she coughed awkwardly, "...you may want to go restock on blood…" she made a dash for the room.

"M-Maleny!" Klaus blinked and went after her.

"Are you mad?" she turned around, looking actually nervous. "I swear I didn't mean to, but...when I took my first taste the, the blood it…" she made a made a gesture with her hand, "...it was delicious. And then my eyes did this funny thing, and...and my fangs! Oh! I have fangs now!" she covered her mouth as if she's just learned of the new feature for the first time. "They came out as soon as the blood went down my throat! And it felt _so_ good - I couldn't help myself…" Klaus had been overly entertained with Maleny's predictable antic. He walked up to her and put an arm around her. "Are you mad with me?" she meekly asked again, running her hands over his arms.

"Not in the slightest," Klaus shook his head, a wide smile breaking across his face. "You didn't kill anyone - that's what I was aiming for."

Maleny chuckled and pressed a kiss to his lips, but a simple peck turned out not to be enough for her. She leaned on him, an arm draping over his shoulder which she used to pull him closer. In a split second, Klaus sped her up against the door, realizing there was no point in being 'careful' anymore. The idea fascinated him on some level that there would be a new way of doing things.

Having thought of the same things, Maleny surprised Klaus by turning them around with her new strength, now having _him_ against the door. "I can get used to that," she whispered, her finger tracing along his jawline. "In fact, I'd like to get used to it _now_ …"

"Eager to comply," Klaus replied with a devilish smile. He took the hand she had on him and kissed it. He sped them to the bed, but before he could lay her down, she switched again and pushed him down instead.

Maleny loved his stunned face in return. She was going to enjoy this new life, that was for sure.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_**

So sad oh no, no more human Maleny...but I think _she's_ not that sad, huh? ;) And as far as the new Mikaelson twins, don't worry about interactions they will be getting plenty in future. I just don't wanna cram everything into one chapter, you know?

 _ **For Reviews:**_

Yup! And Nicolas is here to stay! Lmao I lost it at your Elijah comment xD I don't think anyone could have put it better than you did, bravo!

Riiight? I want someone to talk like that to me *heart eyes* (lucky Maleny!)

Well, like I said above, we'll slowly get to know more of these two new characters. We already have a brief origin points of them, and we'll get to more about them as we move along! And no worries, this story will continue for as long as the show runs lmao

Yeah well, a temper never truly goes away. Nicolas will reveal that temper once again at some point in the story for a powerful reason - you'll have to wait and see ;). Oh yes, Maleny will find that her twins are very protective of her xD. Fun fact, I originally had Aurora indeed kill Maleny like she had with Cami on the show but at the end opted for this change. It was just that when Maleny 'lived' with Lucien, I couldn't see Lucien depriving her of vervain. And I couldn't see Maleny letting him deprive her of vervain. So I had to change that bit and thus Aurora couldn't kill her.

I see Lucien's 'love' for Maleny as leftover feelings for 'Cecilia de Ark'. Like, because he was so in love with Cecilia, he sees Maleny as the last bit of that love and he wants her. But, at the same time, he acknowledges that Maleny isn't truly Cecilia.

Thanks! Plenty more chapters to come!

I feel like by this point, because of Hope, Klaus is no stranger to fatherhood. He still has issues with it of course, because of his past, but I feel that now he's more open to _being_ a father. I mean, we see with Marlenie he's sort of developed this playful father type relationship with her rather easily. We'll just have to wait and see how he acts with Nicolas and vice versa! I hope you liked the little explanation of Nicolas' escape from Dahlia. I felt there was no other explanation than Freya helping him out in the end considering she sees Nicolas like a son. Thank you and hope you liked the new chapter!

* * *

Sooo, next chapter we get a bit more of a center on Cami, Elijah and the Strix. If you recall, it's time to play who gets to lead the Strix ;). On the sides we have Mal adjusting to her new vampirism and some fairly familiar wooden crafts *insert heart emoji here*. With that being said, until next time guys! :)


	9. A Strix Duel

"What are you doing, Nicolas?" Freya had stopped by the new bedroom of her nephew early in the morning after catching the door wide open. She was surprised to find the young man sitting on the floor surrounded by papers and books.

Nicolas smiled at his aunt. "Morning, aunt Freya."

Freya came into the room but remained closed to the door for fear of stepping over Nicolas' things. "I didn't expect anyone to be up so early."

"I'm used to waking up early," Nicolas shrugged his shoulders. "When you're on the run from a lunatic, traveling at dawn is the best way to go."

A light, sad smile appeared on Freya's face for a moment. "I thought it was better for you to run than remain at Dahlia's side."

"I think so too," Nicolas eased her guilt. "I will always be in debt with you for what you did. You allowed me a chance at freedom by risking your life. Thank you aunt Freya."

"You know I considered you more than a nephew for me - you were like a son," Freya sighed. "And now I'm glad your home, with your real mother, and a father who I know loves you already."

"And I love them too, so much," Nicolas clarified. "But that doesn't erase the life I lived with you. You will always be like my second mother, I swear."

Freya felt her eyes tearing up and chuckled from embarrassment. She took a breath in and looked at the papers nearest to her, as well as some of the books. "History of New Orleans?" she read one of the titles of the books. "Nick, what are you up to?"

"Well, I like knowing where I'm going to live, so I make it my business to know everything I can about the place and its people," Nicolas explained and leaned forwards to pick up an old looking grimoire. "And I mean _all_ of its people."

"You're doing research on the witches?" Freya's eyes widened for a moment.

"Witches, their ancestors, the vampires here - the oldest ones anyways - and even the wolves. Hell, I'm going as far as reaching out to the Algiers."

"Nicolas, this is astounding," Freya released a breath.

"I like doing research. It's helped me come up with a lot of things, actually." Freya watched him reach for something hanging around his neck that was fell under his shirt. He pulled out a red pendant, similar to hers. "See? Made it all on my own."

"On your own?" Freya's eyes examined the pendant from where she stood but with great intensity. "H-how did you..."

"It took a long time, but while I was on the run I created this pendant...in hopes of saving my Mum if I ever found her."

Freya tilted her head, confused at the explanation. "How...?"

"I thought about her curse for so long, and I thought I could maybe create a pendant to store someone's soul in it - like yours. But in my case, I made it so that the pendant could be used on people beyond our blood."

"Because Maleny would not have been in her own body if you found her..." Freya began to understand.

"It took a long time, with an incredible amount of power, but I got it done," Nicolas smiled to himself, quite proud of his deed, as he put his pendant back under his shirt.

And if his mother hadn't been saved, Nicolas was sure he could have helped her in his way.

~ 0 ~

A bright sun shined through the closed balcony doors, signaling it would be more or less of a sunny day. Klaus emerged from his bathroom dressed for the day, but came to an abrupt stop at the sight of Maleny on the bed. She was laying down holding a magazine up. The action wasn't so much what had caught his attention - it was the way in which she was reading her cursed magazine. She was wearing a white-flowered top with laced straps and matching shorts, practically half clothed to Klaus. She had her legs half propped up, and mindlessly rubbed one of her bare feet over an ankle.

Klaus shifted, taking in a breath. "Mal…"

The blonde acknowledged his presence, but didn't lower her arms to see him. "Yes?"

"You should get dressed, we have things to do."

"What things?"

"I wanted to go over the proper way to feed off the locals in the city - we wouldn't want an accident happening…"

"Yeah, I'm not feeding off people straight from the vein."

The declaration left Klaus thoughtful for a moment. "You're...not?"

"Nope. It's icky and I don't want to actually hurt someone. So no. I'm staying here and I'm going to go through Marls' catalog and pick out what I want. She's giving me the Mum-discount thing."

"How about you get dressed now though?" the persistence in Klaus' tone made Maleny finally look his way.

"I'm sorry?"

"You're teasing me, and I don't appreciate it."

Maleny laughed and supported herself on her elbows, letting her hair fall back in a way that just added onto Klaus' problems. "How in the hell am I 'teasing' you, Klaus? I am literally just lying down and reading a bloody magazine. Please, show me where I teased."

" _Mal_ ," Klaus gave her that look that said he was becoming impatient, among other things.

"Besides, I was the one that told you to stay with me a little longer, remember?" Maleny motioned the empty side beside her. "But what did you say? 'No Mal, we need to get up and get ready.' At which point I put some clothes on and got to reading."

"Rather interesting choice of attire, don't you think?"

"They're for sleeping and they've never been a problem before so shut up and let me read." Maleny let herself fall on her back and raised her arms to read her magazine.

And then her foot started doing the thing again.

Agitated, and frustrated, Klaus loudly huffed for her attention. "Maleny…"

"Oh, this dress is nice," Maleny remarked overly innocently.

"Mal-"

"Oh, but which one looks better?"

"Maleny…"

"The purple one? Or the red one?"

There was a light breeze and the next thing Maleny knew, her catalog had been thrown God knows where in the room and she had a lustful hybrid hovering over her.

"I think I like the red one better," Maleny whispered to him.

"You are really going to make me undress again?"

"...you're the one who got dressed in the first place."

"And this was your revenge?"

"Are you going to kiss me or keep accusing me of things I didn't do?"

"I'll kiss you and accuse you of the things you clearly did," Klaus corrected and proceeded to do just that.

"Not everything's about you," Maleny pulled back to remark, her fingers starting at the top of his shirt. " _I'm_ the one that recently turned here."

"Pardon me, but I believe I've made it clear I'm here for _anything_ you need…"

Maleny giggled as his fingers brushed on her exposed skin from the hemline on her blouse. He pulled it right over her head, tossing it to the side and leaving her in her measly shorts and bra. He dove to give her several rough kisses. When he moved down her neck, Maleny smirked triumphantly.

Millionth point to Mal, none to Klaus.

Using her new strength, she pushed him up and swiftly turned them over. "You shouldn't have gotten dressed," she viewed his current clothing.

"Fix it," Klaus smirked, challenging her to the task.

Maleny quirked an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the idea. "Next time just be a dear and listen to me - I tend to be right." She leaned forwards and resumed kissing him, her hands lowering to pull his shirt over as well.

~ 0 ~

Aya and Davina stood inside the Davilla estate, the current home to the Strix, and were overlooking the corpse of a young blonde witch lying on the ground. Davina was horrified at the easiness Aya took the sight, just like the other members had done so. There was blood soaking the witch's hair - it looked like a vampire had fed off her till she died.

"What happened to her?" Davina hurried up to the corpse. Honestly, this was not the first thing she had thought she would see upon arriving there.

Aya grimly looked at her ex-worker. "This is what befalls anyone who bargains with Elijah Mikaelson. Ariane discovered the weapon that can kill an Original. And since Elijah would never allow anyone to possess so deadly a secret…he killed her."

Davina sighed, but was not surprised to hear a Mikaelson was behind this. She had met the Ariana for a short time - hell, the girl had saved her from the ancestors - but she felt true sorrow for the girl's death.

"She was nice to me…"

"Then perhaps you won't mind spending a little more time together."

The rest of the Strix' witches, all young girls, strode into the room. Their dark black cloaks flowed behind them despite there being no actual wind. Davina got up to her feet as the witches, or Sisters, surrounded her and Aya in a circle.

"You and the others will channel her, search her mind, and find the weapon," Aya instructed Davina and the other witches.

One of them, a girl with long curly black hair nodded her head. Soon, all the Sisters knelt down around Ariane's body...except Davina.

"That's a little disrespectful to the dead, don't you think?" She shot a look towards Aya. "Not to mention dangerous. If Elijah finds out…"

"I know better than you how dangerous Elijah can be," Aya snapped. "And yet, as he is my sire, my life and the lives of the Strix are tied to his." She stepped closer to Davina in a menacing way, her intense glare making Davina falter. "So, I will not rest until that weapon is found."

"AYA!" Cami angrily shouted and seconds later walked into the room. Aya turned around to greet her, confused and annoyed of the entrance she was making. "Are you kidding me!?" the blonde wildly gestured towards Davina. "You recruit a witch from my city - and not just any witch but my _friend_ \- and you don't even consult with me?"

"Cami, it's alright," Davina began, but Cami was refusing it completely.

Since Christmas, the two had gotten somewhere back to their friendship. That meant Cami was outrightly furious with the Strix for bringing Davina into this mess that was on the borderline of a war.

"Who do you think you are to come in like this?" Aya scowled. "I don't have to consult anything with you-"

"You are not in charge!" Cami snapped, this time nothing making her step down. "Since Tristan's downfall I haven't seen anyone officially take the reigns of this little club so do not put yourself as my superior!"

"Official or not you are _not_ at liberty to speak to me that way!"

"She's just a kid, Aya!"

"Davina Claire is the former Regent," Aya motioned to Davina who was anxiously watching them go back and forth.

"A _kid_!" Cami repeated herself. "I can't believe this is what the Strix does! You recruit girls and make them work until either you kill them or your enemy does." She glanced towards the corpse of Ariane and shook her head. "You knew damn well Elijah would come after that poor witch after looking through his mind and yet you went with it."

"It was necessary," Aya rolled her eyes, becoming weary.

"So is this what's gonna happen to me, then?" Cami challenged, stepping towards the older vampire. "You're gonna suck up all my usefulness then leave me to die when it's all finished? No way," she said lowly, "I quit this stupid group."

Aya was stunned for a couple of seconds, unsure if she'd heard right. "You can't quit the Strix, Camille," she called after the blonde.

Cami laughed bitterly and stopped by the doorway. "I think I just did."

"Cami!" Aya called again, impatiently with what she considered to be a mere tantrum from a young vampire. "Quitting is never an option in the Strix. The only way you leave is if you die."

Cami shrugged. "Do what you must but I'm leaving the building either way."

Aya glared after the blonde but made no move to follow. Davina nervously stepped towards her. "Wh-what are you going to do with her?" She didn't want Cami to die, and much less because of a stupid rule.

"Make a point," Aya muttered and stormed out of the room.

~ 0 ~

"Nick, look what I have," Marlenie came into the lounge room where her two siblings and uncle were located. Elijah was reading from a scroll-like book while Nicolas tended to Hope.

Hayley had moved back in days ago and was taking a needed rest for her mourning. Nicolas had Hope sitting on his lap, the toddler playing with her wooden horse knight. Once he looked up to his vampire sister, he entered a shocked state.

"Is that actually…?" he pointed a shaky finger at the wooden craft Marlenie held - that of two connected stars.

Marlenie laughed joyfully and sat on the armrest of the couch chair. "I've always carried it with me after I ran away from the witches."

"Wow…"

Elijah looked up from his scroll, vaguely recalling the craft as something Klaus had done to impress the woman known as Iris back in the day. "My, that is surprising."

Marlenie glanced at him with a wide smile. "Mum said that Dad gave it to her on one of their meetings. When she was taken by the witches, this was all she had with her. She promised Nick and I that as long as we were under the same stars in the sky, she and Dad would always love us...and that we would always have a chance of finding Dad."

"Mission accomplished, then," Elijah smiled back.

Hope happened to look up and saw the craft in her sister's hand. Her attention was glued to it. She leaned forwards in an attempt to take it, but could not reach on her own.

"Here you go, Hope," Nicolas took the craft from Marlenie and handed it to Hope.

Hope turned it over countless times, looking like she were examining it. She gave an approving squeal and shoved it into her mouth. In return she held up the wooden knight.

"I think she's making a switch," Marlenie commented in amusement, taking the craft from her. "Thank you, Hope. You can keep the little stars now - I think they're much better suited for you now than us." She looked up to Nicolas, agreeing silently. "We found our parents and each other."

"I'll just keep it with me now," Nicolas took it from her and put it inside his jacket's pocket.

"Uncle Elijah," Marlenie glanced to her silent uncle who seemed very focused on whatever he was reading, "What are you reading?"

"Oh, some old rules," Elijah exhaled, looking more bored than anything. "I was hoping to deal with the Strix today."

"Can I help?" her eyes beamed at the chance to fight the Strix.

"No, I think this one falls on me since I created them," Elijah rose from the couch. "Look after Hope, please?"

"Where are you going?" Nicolas looked over the chair to where he stopped.

"I need to find your aunt - Camille."

"Because she's in the Strix, right?"

"Exactly," Elijah smiled and went on his way.

"Somehow I don't think that was the reason," Marlenie said thoughtfully a moment after he left. She shook her head and pulled her phone from her pocket.

"Who are you talking to? Boyfriend?" Nicolas teased.

Marlenie scoffed. "It's actually a very good warlock friend. I have him just outside of New Orleans - safety precautions and all. He said my friend is finally on her way here."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Nicolas tried not to sound so discouraging but it was a point that needed to be made. "This place is bloody enough, do you really want your friend here?"

"She can help," Marlenie assured. "Evie was the first vampire I ever turned. She's a Velden, Nick, and she was the only person I had before finding you all. She's as old as I am, just a mere months younger, which makes her a perfect ally against these ancient vampires."

"I'm just saying…"

"Trust me, she knows what she's getting into. I would never bring her blindingly into this sort of war." She walked by and ruffled his hair then left.

~ 0 ~

"Do you think I can buy the red dress, then?" Maleny tried not to let her giggles cut into her words. But the way Klaus dropped several kisses across her shoulder made it quite the challenge.

"You can buy whatever the hell you want as long as you give me a special preview," he murmured into her ear, giving her chills.

She shifted on the bed to give him a smirk. "I think I can live with that deal."

"I thought it was fair," he leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers. He gave her a couple of kisses before a phone went off.

Trying to reach for it with only a hand, Maleny failed and down went the cellphone to the ground. "Dammit…" she tried reaching for it but Klaus had other plans.

"Let it ring," he yanked her back to him, trying to keep kissing her but she still attempted to reach for her phone.

"It could be important," she reasoned, but half of the sentence had been muffled by a long kiss (that may or may not have left her a little bit dazed). "Klaus," she finally put a hand over his mouth, forcing him to stop, "Give me a moment?"

"Fine," the hybrid huffed and rolled off her.

Maleny pulled the sheet up to her chest as she leaned to the side of the bed. Her phone was still relentlessly ringing when she picked it off the floor.

"Amarrah?" she answered.

"Mal!" the French witch screeched on the other line.

"Get on with it, love," Klaus had scooted closer to Maleny, dropping a kiss onto her neck.

Maleny swatted him away with one hand but it did no well. "Ams, what's going on? I noticed you're, uh...screeching?"

"It's Cami! I got a call from Davina saying that Cami actually _quit_ the Strix. Like, she literally told Aya in her face. Mal, I'm a bit scared, Davina said Aya was making a move against Cami."

"There's two things wrong with that," Klaus had given up on a distraction after hearing all that. Maleny watched him attentively while he went on, forgetting Amarrah was still on the other line. "How would Davina know about this? She's been shunned. Second, no one quits the Strix without paying a high price."

"Are you telling me they're gonna kill Cami?" Maleny's eyes widened.

"They're gonna kill Cami!?" Amarrah repeated, even more fearful than before. "Mal!"

"I-it's okay, Amarrah," Maleny spoke back into the phone. "Klaus and I will take care of it. In the meantime, you should probably stay inside your home. The Strix are probably not too happy with any of us right now."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Amarrah said, and was about to hang up when Maleny called her back.

"Wait, how does Davina know all this?"

"Dunno," Amarrah said back. "Last time I heard she was shunned from the covens."

Without saying a word, Klaus reached for Maleny's phone and turned it off. Maleny shot him an annoyed look. "Hey!"

"She won't answer your question, love. The Strix pick up stray witches from time to time, bargaining their eternal work in exchange for something the witch wants."

"Well, what could Davina want so badly that she would enslave herself to those vampires?"

Klaus gave her a 'really' kind of look for not figuring it out faster. "Something along the lines of my dear little brother Kol maybe?"

"Oh," Maleny covered her mouth. "That's...that's reasonable - and so wrong! She can't be in there, Klaus!"

"I'm afraid it's probably too late. But we can still help Cami not get herself killed."

"I am not leaving Davina to their clutches!"

"It's not your choice, Maleny. The witch will do whatever she wants because she's old enough like that."

"We need to go get Cami," Maleny had decided to ignore the last statement in favor of a more pressing matter.

"And there goes our lovely day," Klaus muttered, and was perfectly heard by Maleny.

She smirked and leaned over to him. "Be nice to me and you can have a very lovely night - again."

"There's a deal I can make," he mimicked her earlier words and stifled her laugh with a last kiss before they really did have to get up and leave.

~ 0 ~

Elijah hadn't received the same call Maleny did on behalf of Cami as he was already on his way to meet with the young vampire. When he heard the terrible screams coming from her house, he fully panicked and sped in without so much of a knock.

Cami was completely physically fine.

But the gray-veined corpse on her kitchen table was not.

"Camille," Elijah hurried towards her.

"No! No! I did this! It's my fault!" Cami was on her knees, inches from the table, her hands covering her tear-stained face. "I did this!"

"Camille?" Elijah pulled her up to her feet and gently pried her hands from her face. "What happened here?"

Cami's eyes were bright red and puffy, showing she had been crying for sometime now. She was in a state of shock, her entire self shaking from the terrible sight. "I...I was...I did...it's...it's…" her lips pursed together as she tried her best not to burst into new tears.

Elijah cupped her face. "Shh, it's okay," he gently dried some tears off her cheeks, "What happened here?"

Taking in a deep breath, Cami started over. "I...I...quit the Strix…"

Mistake number one - no one ever quits the Strix. Elijah knew that.

"And...and Aya said...she would...she would...do something...but I...I didn't listen," Cami slowly turned her head in the direction of her table. "I thought..that she would make a move against _me_ …"

She couldn't take seeing the corpse anymore and burst into new sobs.

"But they went after _her_ instead!"

Elijah moved his arms around her and hugged her. "The Strix are an intelligent society of vampires, Camille. They knew a better punishment for you was to kill one of your close friends."

"So they went after Gia," Cami sniffed, her words muffled as she buried her head in his chest. "She had nothing to do with this, Elijah! She told me to be careful and I didn't listen to her! Now she's dead! They killed her!"

Elijah had no words for this type of action. He only hugged her tighter and kissed her hair. Glancing back at Gia's staked corpse, he vowed to finally gain a true upper hand with the Strix. Cami would have to return to them whether she wanted to or not and Elijah seriously doubted she would have the energy to keep up the charade. He needed to put an end to that.

~ 0 ~

"Mum!" Marlenie was found her mother out in the courtyard. Maleny jumped in her spot and brought the blood bag she held in one hand behind her back. Marlenie saw the action and smiled in amusement. "You think I won't notice that?"

Maleny sighed. "God, I am such a mess."

Marlenie came up to her mother and took the blood bag from her. "No, Mum, you're just a baby-vamp. You're going through the phases and controlling the blood lust is just one of those."

"It's just...when I'm not thinking about blood, I'm thinking about something else…" Maleny's blush was all Marlenie needed to get the jist.

"Gotcha," Marlenie scrunched her nose. "It's alright - I guess - because that's your emotions settling down. But you need to get onto the next phase."

"And that would be…?"

"Ready to mingle with those that are still alive," Marlenie handed Maleny back the blood bag.

Maleny didn't resume sucking off the bag when she felt, and smelt - that was still weird for her - her son coming out from the downstairs living room. Looking ashamed of herself, she once again hid the blood bag behind her.

"Mum, it's not like he doesn't know what you have to do to survive," Marlenie chuckled, but Maleny wouldn't budge.

"Hello, Mother," Nicolas greeted with a warm smile and a hug. Maleny got the whiff of his human scent and instantly retreated, speeding across the room in terrible fear. Nicolas didn't look the least bit surprised, instead he laughed much like Marlenie did. "Mum, it's alright. I know you won't hurt me."

"I...think I should stay here just to lower the odds," Maleny swallowed hard and urgently sucked the last bit of blood from the bag in her hand.

"Mum, how do you expect to learn if you don't give yourself a chance?" Marlenie called, both she and Nicolas staying in their places. They couldn't force her to be near them - she had to come to them out of her own will.

That was part of her self-control learning.

"I'm scared, leave me alone," came the very mature response from their mother.

"And do you intend on being scared for the rest of your life now? Because do remember that it _is_ now for 'eternity'."

"Marlenie, shut up."

"Mum!"

"It's _hard_!"

"Marls," Nicolas scolded his sister, ignoring her huff as he looked at his mother. "Mum, we're not saying it's gonna be easy, but you do have to try. C'mon, just take a step towards us - well, me. I'm the problem after all."

Maleny's eyes softened and without realizing she took several steps towards him. "No, my love, you're not the problem. Don't you dare think that again. You're right, I can...I can do this."

Nicolas crookedly smiled much like a certain hybrid, and Maleny smiled wider when realizing it.

"Maleny?" Klaus' voice called from above. He stood by the banister, with a grim face that alerted the immediate family something had happened. "Camille…''

"What's wrong with my cousin?" Maleny scowled.

"The Strix made their move for her quitting…"

"Did they…?"

"They went after her friend, the one with the violin."

"They hurt _Gia_?" Maleny's eyes widened.

" _Killed_ ," Klaus corrected, not as affected as the blonde. He started for the stairs as he explained what Elijah told him over the phone. "The Strix thought it would be worse if they killed Gia instead of directly killing Cami. This way, she lives with the guilt and she inevitably agrees to return to them before they hurt someone else she cares deeply for." The smirk across his lips was one Maleny did not like. "I like their way of thinking sometimes."

"Dad!" Marlenie exclaimed, motioning to Maleny who was silent with thoughts.

"Mal," Klaus went straight up to her, "Cami is going to be just fine. The Strix have made their point."

"But she's going to be forced back in?" Maleny whispered with dreadfulness.

"Well...it's either that, or the next time they make a move against someone else. Perhaps Amarrah, or even Vincent…"

"NO!" Maleny's rage was quick to surface, her eyes darkening with instinct.

That was certainly not what Klaus was expecting and for a moment he didn't do anything. He rested his hands on her face and tried soothing her. "Mal, emotions, remember?"

"I don't want them to hurt Cami," Maleny gritted her teeth.

He could see the clear trouble in her eyes, the fear that her dear cousin would be hunted. He lowered his voice to a whisper and leaned forwards, his fingers soothingly tracing patterns near her jawline. "They won't. Elijah's with her right now and apparently he has an idea that can get Cami out without being harmed. You and I have other plans now. Maleny?" She had now closed her eyes. "Mal?"

"Hmm…"

"Are you more relaxed?"

Maleny took a light breath in before opening her eyes slowly. They had returned back to her bright blue shade. "I trust Elijah," she said as a recital to ease herself.

"Yes you do," Klaus nodded and turned back to their twins. "You two, your assignment today is quite simple. It involves looking after one adorable toddler and her not-so-adorable mother."

"Klaus," Maleny nudged him, shooting him a disapproving look. "Jokes on Hayley are not permitted right now."

"We get the jist," Nicolas assured them both. "Hope's fast asleep anyways. Though I do have to warn you she's got a new toy."

Neither Maleny nor Klaus were prepared to see the old wooden craft of stars in Nicolas' hand.

Marlenie beamed and took it from her brother. "Remember, Mum?" she whispered as she brought it to her parents.

Of course they remembered it.

"This little thing has survived through so much," Maleny chuckled as she took the wooden stars into her hands, holding it between her and Klaus.

"We thought it best if Hope keeps it now," Nicolas explained. "It brought Marls back to you guys, and back to me, maybe Hope can give it a new use."

"Certainly, between her gums I'm sure," Klaus plucked the wooden star from Maleny's hand and smiled at it.

"Yeah, well, in return we got this," Nicolas pulled out Hope's old wooden horse from his jacket's inside pocket.

"Nice to see our children are getting along," Maleny joked with a light chortle.

Klaus, amused as well, grabbed Maleny's hand and gestured they were going to be leaving then. "I want Hope asleep by nine!" he mocked a stern voice as he walked away. "And Marlenie by eight!"

"What!?" went the dark-haired vampire in question.

Nicolas snickered from behind.

~ 0 ~

"I see you've learned your lesson," Ava smugly watched the silent, and visibly fearful, Cami slowly come into the Davilla estate.

"You killed my friend," Cami accused, her voice shaking of what Ava believed to be despair. Cami was more angry than afraid at the moment, and she wanted nothing more than to charge and yank out Ava's heart.

"I thought the lesson was to make a clear point, and it did," Ava motioned Cami to take a seat at the long dining table where several other vampires were sitting at. "WIll you join us please? I was just in the middle of an important announcement. You haven't missed much."

With hidden balled fists, Cami walked across the table and sat down at what had become her traditional seat.

Ava cleared her throat before she addressed the Strix members. "As I was saying, my witches are working on a way discover the weapon that can be used against the Originals. We are hoping that with our new addition, Davina Claire, we will have better luck and quicker results."

"Aya," Elijah chose to make his presence known then, causing a quiet look of nervousness settle over each member save Cami, "don't we look so very comfortable indeed, leading Tristan's little circus. Sadly, one does not simply ascend to the position of leader. It kind of has to be by my consent."

Aya was no fool and she made it known. "If you're here about the little - completely unnecessary if you ask me - death of that violinist-"

"Her name was _Gia_ ," Cami slammed a hand on the table, rising from her seat. "You killed her, the least you can do now is respect her memory."

Ava rolled her eyes at the matter. "Elijah, I have many things to do so if you will please…" she gestured him to leave but Elijah made no such move.

"I'm here on business, actually, Strix business. You see, I am the maker. The creator. The Founding Father. I am the one who chooses the leader here, and, fortunately for every last one of you, I have an excellent candidate in mind. See, today is the day I take back what is mine." He took a moment to look at the others members and was quite satisfied to see them all fidgeting in their seats. "Do I hear any objections?" Ava was looking beyond furious. "So, ladies and gentlemen, the offer I extend to you is simple enough. You follow me, I shall return you all to greatness."

He reached inside his jacket and pulled out the worn out, old-looking, scroll from earlier and purposely waved it at Aya. "Aya, how long has it been- eight, nine hundred years since you last saw this? For the uninitiated... The Charter of the Strix, written by... Oh, yes... Me." He opened the roll and started reading out loud for the others. "And, it says here... "It shall be my duty to uphold the tenants of the charter..." He skipped over several contents. "Dah-dah, dah-dah, dah... Oh, this is important- "In the absence of a worthy leader, charter shall be invoked and complete dominion shall be restored to Elijah Mikaelson."

"Ah. If you are determined to stake this absurd claim as founder, then I invoke the rite of Ludum Regale," Aya said promptly, as if trying to prove she too remembered what was written on the scroll. "The Game of Kings."

"Let's not do this, shall we?" Elijah said earnestly.

"You cannot invoke one element of the charter and disregard the rest. As it happens, I know the rules. After all... I helped you write them." Aya looked at the members, raising her voice. "If our leadership is in doubt and politics proves divisive, a contest of strength and cunning shall determine the line of succession. So, I challenge you to a duel. Whomever holds the charter at the stroke of midnight shall be the new leader of the Strix."

Elijah scoffed. "You would choose strength over cunning?"

"Do you accept?"

Cami looked between the two in honest fear. She did not know exactly what Elijah was planning except changing the leader of the Strix. The only thing she wished was that it would end badly for Ava - there needed to be justice for her friend Gia.

~ 0 ~

"Hello?" Davina purposely gave a loud call as she strolled into the compound courtyard, her eyes cautiously trailing every inch of the environment.

"If you're looking for my mother, be assured she's not on the premises," Marlenie had appeared behind Davina, causing the mortal to gasp and whirl around.

"I _hate_ that," Davina scowled. Marlenie merely smiled and cocked her head to the side, reminding Davina of none other than Klaus. "I also hate when you look like him."

Marlenie, unintentionally, raised her thin eyebrows as did her lips into a wide smirk. "I wonder why I would look like my _father_ …"

Davina sighed and looked around, as if still unconvinced Maleny wasn't nearby. She was not at all happy that her friend had finally turned. She knew the first couple of months were difficult to be around humans and so Davina was being extra cautious.

"So, what brings you here?" Marlenie asked. "And please, if you're going to shout or anything, like my mother says you have, don't. We have Hope on a nap."

"I was here to see Klaus, honestly," Davina hated to admit.

"There's a shocker," Marlenie laughed lightly. "You? Meeting my father? What for?"

"There's a weapon the Strix are looking for and...I came to warn him."

"Seriously?" Marlenie arched an eyebrow.

"Seriously," Davina nodded, understanding perfectly the disbelief in Marlenie's tone. "I hate Klaus, don't get me wrong, but my friends are still sired to him - now adding Maleny - so I don't want them to die. Argo, here I am."

"What's the weapon?" Marlenie asked in an authoratitive voice.

"I don't know," Davina shrugged. "Biblical...I don't...recall…"

"Marls," Nicolas stepped out from the upstairs lounge room, stopping at the banister where he got a look at the stranger in front of his sister, "Who's that?"

Davina, also gazing up at the stranger, made a face. "Who are you?" she countered.

"I'm Nicolas Mikaelson, that's who," Nicolas leaned on the banister, enjoying Davina's wide-eyed face. "Ah, so you've heard of me?"

"You're bloody famous around here, stupid," Marlenie rolled her eyes at him. "Aunt Freya made sure of that."

"I'm charming," Nicolas said with a wide grin on his face.

At that moment, Davina swore she saw Klaus. "Oh God," she screwed her eyes shut, "There's three of you now!"

"Four if you count Hope," Marlenie remarked, smirking. "But don't be foooled, my brother may look like my father but he's got more of Mum than you think."

"But speaking of Hope," Nicolas straightened up and pulled out the wooden horse from his pocket, "Dad was right, our little sister does enjoy chewing on things. Think Dad would be willing to to make another of these?"

Marlenie scoffed. "Why don't you make it yourself?"

"What's the matter, you never got better at wooden crafting?" Nicolas smirked.

Marlenie's face fell and was replaced by a glare. "Don't think I won't throw you something."

"Let's not fight in front of company, Marls," Nicolas laid eyes on Davina again. "Anyways, you still haven't told me who you are."

"Davina Claire," Davina absently introduced her eyes while she stared more at the wooden horse in his hand.

"She's Dad's frenemy," Marlenie further explained.

"Ah," Nicolas completely understood then and needed nothing more from them.

Marlenie focused back on Davina, hoping to send the witch out on her way again. At the moment, she wanted to avoid any other people the Strix were using against them. "Look, I'll pass on the message to Dad but I'm pretty sure he's still got no clue what that weapon is either. Feel free to mention that to the bitch that is Aya."

Davina finally pulled her gaze from the wooden horse and glanced at Marlenie, giving a curt nod before walking around and exiting the compound. Something in her mind had clicked, but she needed to be sure she was right before she made any moves.

~ 0 ~

A group of very confused Strix members were led into the gym in St. Ann's with Elijah and Aya in front. There, they explained, or rather discussed it between them in very cold words against each other, how the leadership would be resolved. They were to have an old fashioned fight between them.

Cami watched the entire process with confusion and a little anger. "Are you kidding me? The oldest, most sophisticated society of vampires in the world are going to settle this by fighting like kids on a playground?"

Elijah had led Aya into the fighting cage and was already pulling off his jacket to fight. "My sentiments precisely. Aya seems to disagree."

"But it's insane!" Cami exclaimed, completely exasperated with them both as they began to their sprawl.

It went back and forth between the two ancient vampires, one dodging the other or getting an upperhand for about a minute before the other prevailed. Of course, words of insults couldn't be left out. They went at it in their most noblest, persuasive way to get the other Strix members riled up should Elijah happen to win the match. It was clear Aya was persistent on getting the history of Elijah's tendency to "flake" on the group something the Strix would remember.

Aya grabbed Elijah by the back of his neck and shoved him face-first against the cage wall. "This is Elijah Mikaelson," she addressed the other vampires, "traitor to our cause!" She leaned to Elijah's ear but spoke almost as loudly as before. "You know I would rather die than accept you as leader."

Elijah wished he could take that alternative but alas settled for elbowing her instead. He used the force to trade places with her and have her pinned against the wall. "If that's your ultimatum... then I accept."

But right then, someone sped into the cage and shoved Elijah back and Aya out the cage. Dead serious, Cami reappeared at the top level at the balcony, holding the prized Strix Charter in one hand. "I just figured out a way honor Gia…"

"Cami," Elijah sternly called for her as he got up.

"Marcel taught me all I need to know about this city - connections and places. Let's play by my rules now," she waved the Charter again before speeding out of the building, leaving a tersed air behind.

~ 0 ~

As night fell over the Quarter, Klaus had brought Maleny along to packed and light-packed places to expose her to the many different environments she would soon find herself in. And while at times he was a little concerned she would snap and start biting people, Maleny had surprisingly restrained herself from causing such havoc.

"I'm starving," she walked out of a local bar with trembling balled-up fists. "That ginger girl was asking to be bitten."

"She was just having a drink, love," Klaus said, holding back a laugh at her.

"Yeah, right beside me! Klaus, I'm serious, I'm hungry - I want blood now!"

"You're not actually hungry," Klaus pointed out, making her stop midway down the block. "It's a craving, you fed this morning remember?"

"Call it whatever you want but if you don't get me home I might just bite _you_!" Maleny exclaimed, but when she saw him actually considering the idea with almost approval she smacked his arm, flushing a bright pink. "Get me a blood bag!"

Klaus laughed out loud and took her hand, making her face the street. "We're not doing blood bags, remember? Pick out a nice person now, someone good for you."

"What if I hurt them?" Maleny whispered her concern, though she was now biting her lip of hunger (craving!).

"You won't, and in any case I'll be there to stop you."

"Will you actually stop me, though?"

"Because I know it's important to you that you don't hurt someone rest assure I will."

Taking his word, Maleny drew in a breath and focused on her task. Her eyes scanned the streets for someone right. She spotted a young couple making way for an alley off the main street and widely smiled. Without a word to Klaus, she disappeared from his side.

The couple she found were making out when she got there. She broke them apart, compelled the guy not to make a sound and moved onto the girl.

"No one can help you, do you understand?" she compelled the girl and received a nod back.

Klaus had found them and walked up to see what Maleny did. "Very good, Mal," he shot her a wink. "Young, healthy... A tad unsophisticated, but not bad."

"Excuse me I didn't aim for someone rich," Maleny rolled her eyes. "I aimed for good blood not for bucks."

"Well...go at it then," Klaus motioned, and for a minute he actually believed Maleny wouldn't go through with it because of her fearful face. However, she took in a long whiff and completely vamped out and sunk her fangs into the girl's neck. "Listen to the heartbeat," Klaus warned her, "It will tell you when to stop."

Maleny kept that in mind as she sucked blood. The girl's heartbeat began rather quick, as was expected, then it began to slow down. She knew at once she had to stop but her fangs didn't seem to want to listen to her. The rush of it made her want to keep drinking and drinking…

"Mal…" she heard Klaus calling her name, but it didn't register the first time.

The heartbeat was dangerously slowing…

"Maleny…"

Maleny violently shoved the girl away from her and deeply breathed in. She gulped down the remnants of blood and whirled around to Klaus. "Did I do it right?"

"Lovely," Klaus used a thumb to clear a trail of blood from the corner of her mouth.

Maleny smirked and draped her arms around his shoulders. "You want to share? There's still one left…" she nodded to the young man standing a couple feet from them.

Klaus glanced back and smirked just as wide as she was. "Well," he looked back at her, "I could never resist turning you down."

"No, you couldn't," she shook her head, giggling.

~ 0 ~

Elijah stood outside a two-story house, with his cellphone pressed to his ear as he had a tensed conversation with Cami. "Camille, I do not condone this type of action you so willingly took-"

Cami, who took residence in the house, sat on a couch chair with the Charter on her lap. "You're not my father, Elijah. Like I said, this was the only way I can do justice for Gia."

"This is most certainly not the way. You are only causing unnecessary havoc. Come out and give me the charter."

"No, I don't think I will," Cami crossed one leg over the other. "I've got about five minutes until I'm the new Grand Poobah. Until then, good luck trying to find me."

"Look outside," Elijah sighed. Cami got up from her chair and walked to the nearest window to see him standing outside. "It's not difficult to track you when your sister's a witch and Marcel knows people most likely to house a vampire."

"Marcel told you where I was?" Cami indignantly reacted. "He's the one that helped me hide here!"

"Camille, listen to me, if you think I'm above burning this place to the ground, you are gravely mistaken."

Cami furrowed her brow. "You wouldn't dare…" She gasped at the sight of more Strix members coming from a different angle of the street.

"You know very well _they_ will," Elijah said, sure she had seen he wasn't alone now. "Come out now, Camille. I don't want you to get hurt again."

~ 0 ~

In the alleyway, Klaus had compelled the two mortals to forget him and Maleny after they'd properly fed off them. They hadn't left on account of taking a leaf out of the couple's book and making out. The sound of someone's cellphone ringing was the only thing that would cut through their moment, but even then it was hard to give it the proper attention.

"Klaus, that's yours," Maleny's muffled giggles added onto Klaus' frustrations. "Pick - it - up!"

Klaus drew back and scowled, pulling out his phone and answering it with a very harsh "WHAT?"

Maleny covered her mouth to stifle another giggle.

"Dad!" Marlenie's voice rang through the phone.

"It's always you interrupting," Klaus sighed, "Even Hope doesn't give this much trouble."

"I need to go pick up a friend-"

"And what the bloody hell do you want me to do-"

"Shut up and listen!"

"Excuse me-"

"-It's just I have a friend coming in and I need to pick her up-"

"-I swear to God Marlenie-"

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Maleny snatched the phone from Klaus' hand and took the call. "Marlenie, what do you want?"

"I have a friend who's coming in tonight, and because of the Strix watching us like hawks I don't want her coming in alone," Marlenie finally explained with calmness. "Is it alright if Nick and I go and pick her up?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Wait a minute, what about Hope? And Hayley?"

"It's fine, aunt Freya's here now."

"Fine, be careful," Maleny said and hung up on her daughter. She held the phone to Klaus, giving him a triumphant smirk. "See, that's how you get them to leave you alone faster."

Klaus snatched the phone, dumped it into his pocket and pulled Maleny against him. "Where were we?"

"Going home?" Maleny laughed at his rush. "Your sister just got put on babysitter duty for _your_ child."

"She can handle…" Klaus began to kiss along her jawline, trying to coax her back into their moment. Admittedly, Maleny was falling under his ruse, and before she knew it she had brought his lips to hers for a harder kiss.

~ 0 ~

Cami had opened the door to the house she was hiding out in. Almost immediately she was flanked by both Elijah and Aya who still could not enter the house. Cami made sure to leave a good, safe distance between her and the doorway.

"Come out," Elijah said in what sounded like a warning.

"I don't think I will," Cami smirked and waved the Charter. "One more minute."

"This is ridiculous," Aya fumed. "You cannot hide out in here!"

"I did and I am," Cami laughed. However, her laughter was cut short when someone zoomed into the house and threw her across the room so that she crashed into a marble table against the wall.

Everyone was in shock when the Charter was picked up from the floor by none other than Marcel himself. He looked around with a smug smile across his lips. "Thanks Mrs. Norris," he called to the elderly woman of the house by the kitchen threshold.

"Marcel," Cami groaned as she raised herself up using the wall.

"Sorry Cami, but this entire Strix thing has gone way too far," Marcel's smugness was replaced by a deep scowl. "I've had enough and since I can't very well throw you out," he stared directly at Aya, "I'll just have to take it from you."

"Marcel!" Elijah roared with anger and pounded on the side of the doorway, making a deep hole into the wall. "What is the meaning of this!?"

Cami too, noticing there were just seconds before time was up, lunged on Marcel to fight the Charter off him. She pinned him against the wall for a minute before he kicked her in the stomach and shoved her to the back of the couch.

"I'm sorry, Cami," Marcel shook his head and glanced at the wall clock that was slowly ticking its way to twelve. "But I'm tired. Vampires are scared in the Quarter, in the Algiers - it won't be long until the rest of the covens fall behind the Strix."

"But...it's for Gia…"

Marcel darkly glared over to Aya, of course learning about Gia's demise. "I intend on seeing that through as well."

The clock had stricken twelve.

"Well," Marcel once more smirked around, "I guess that settles that."

"This can't be!" Aya growled. "You're not even part of the Strix!"

Marcel raised a finger and opened up the scroll in his hands. "See, I helped Cami hide earlier and I got a little glimpse of this thing. There was something about the, uh, Ludum Regale - that's what it's called right? The rules are very clear: the one holding the scroll by midnight is the new leader. There is no clause that says the holder has to be part of the Strix. You can check for it yourself if you'd like. You were oh-so-clear about many things but that little detail doesn't seem to come up."

"It's true," Elijah said lowly, as if just realizing it himself. "But this was cheating!"

"No, it was cunning," Marcel corrected him. "I had a little read up on that - thank you Cami," in response the blonde glared at him. "Your little contest is supposed to measure cleverness and boy did I show that by waiting patiently. I've had enough of terrible havoc in what is still _my_ city."

"Marcel-" Cami began in an indignant tone.

"You are _done_!" Marcel so suddenly shouted that it made her flinch on her spot. "This city was never meant to leave my hands! I'm sorry Cami, but you're better off being the psychologist than the business woman."

He sped out of the house and stopped on the street where he could address the Strix members. "My name is Marcel Gerard, and despite not being in the complete loop I outwitted _everyone_ in this group. I've been watching the Mikaelsons my whole life. Studied them since I was a kid. That's how I drove them out of New Orleans in the first place. Rebuilt this city in my image under my rules. Offered alliances to all of my friends, and got rid of everybody else. This is my city because I took it! That is what a leader does! If this prophecy that you're all afraid of is gonna happen, it's gonna happen here, on my streets. And if we're gonna stop it from killing us all, who's a better leader than me?"

"This is absurd," Elijah huffed while Cami stepped out into the front porch.

"He stole it from me," the blonde said quite put out. "And he took the city...all in one minute…"

Aya reasoned silently for a moment and deemed this quite impressive. "Perhaps we should have extended the invitation to him and not you," she spared a brief glance at Cami before leaving to join the other Strix.

~ 0 ~

Davina made countless rounds on Arianne's corpse in the Davilla estate. She kept thinking and thinking about the wooden horse Nicolas held in his hands, and the words of Arianne's spirit the last time they made brief contact with each other.

 _'A lone figure. A pale horse.'_

Arianne's spirit, now an ancestor of the New Orleans witches - thanks to the kindness from Davina who consecrated her - had repeated those words to Davina and assured her the weapon was in that shape.

"It can't be _that_ ," Davina said, disbelieving that such a small thing would cause death to all vampires.

"Can't be what?" a voice startled her frozen. Davina looked back and saw the young girl, Madison, who also belonged to the group of Strix witches. She swept across the room now fully interested in Davina. "What did you see?"

Davina looked down at the corpse and shook her head. "Nothing," she said. "I was just...thinking, that's all…"

Madison scoffed, a thick eyebrow raising in question. "Come on. I know you know something so what is it?"

"How am I supposed to know something? I wasn't there when Arianne looked into Elijah Mikaelson's mind was I?"

"No, but you're very close to one of theirs - what was it? Maleny something? She ought to know something."

"We're not on speaking terms," Davina frowned.

"I'm not stupid, Davina. The weapon we're looking for will probably be used to wipe out a whole sireline, including some of your vampire friends. If you know something I know you're hiding it."

"Is that what this is? Pick on the new girl 'cause she knows a few vampires? Big deal. I agreed to work with the Strix, same as you."

Madison rolled her eyes. "You're nothing like me. You actually believe Aya's going to make good on her promises."

"She already has. She gave me the spell to help the person that I care about more than anything. All I need now is power, and I'll do whatever I have to to get it."

"I was just a kid when I became a Sister. My family was poor, my mother was sick. All I wanted was to help them. And there was Aya... With all of her promises. By the time I finished doing everything she asked me... My own mother couldn't even stand the sight of me. See, Davina, real magic, like we use here... it will change you. My guess is it'll be right after you've saved that person you care about. That's when you'll lose everything."

Davina shook her head, disregarding Madison's words - or at least trying to look like it. "You're wrong," she snapped. "Because that person that I care about... He means way too much to me."

"All I care about is leaving this damn coven. But, first you're gonna tell me what you know." Madison lunged for Davina's head, clapping her hands on either side of it and forcibely retrieving the details Davina was refusing to share.

She saw the wooden horse in Nicolas Mikaelson's hands instantly.

"Good God…" she pulled away with wide eyes.

Before Davina had a chance to escape, Madison dove back in to get the full details and when she was done she made sure Davina was knocked out before she left.

~ 0 ~

Somewhere in a secluded area of the Algiers gathered the city's neutral vampires for the small funeral of Gia. They had dug out a grave for their violinist friend with a small headstone to go with it. Cami stood up at front, tears filling her eyes as she placed down Gia's violin in front of the tombstone. Behind her was Elijah, who was letting her mourn like she needed. He spotted Marcel in the crowd and silently slipped out of view to have a private word with him.

The moment they were far enough to be out of hearing shot from any vampire, Elijah spoke freely. "Thank you, Marcel," he said at least three times.

"Yeah, well," Marcel glanced at the procession across them, "The Strix ain't getting away with what they did to Gia. But I'm definitely not letting them get their grubby fingers on Cami. She's the only reason I accepted this ludicrous plan of yours."

It really was a crazy idea to accept Elijah's plan, but Marcel stood by it. He could see, he could actually _see_ that this time, Elijah was working _for Cami_ and not for his family's benefit. Because to have Marcel as the leader of the Strix would've been the biggest the benefit of all. Elijah admitted to Marcel early that day that he was afraid of how far Aya might go against Cami if the blonde continued to show disapproval for the Strix. He wasn't sure how much more Cami could take, and before she lashed out again and got herself killed, Elijah made up a plan to have Marcel steal the Charter and become the Strix's next leader. He just hadn't accounted for Cami taking the Charter and hiding. She almost ruined the plan that was meant to save her.

"You remember what to do first thing tomorrow?" Elijah broke through the silence that fell over the two men.

"Revoke Cami's membership - consider it done," Marcel nodded. Because only the leader of the Strix had the power to revoke anyone's membership.

Both men stared back at their mutual blonde friend, nothing else left to say.

~ 0 ~

When Maleny and Klaus returned to the compound, they were not surprised to find things so quiet. They did, however, come across Hayley in the living room having a glass with Freya. The brunette woman still looked tired as ever, like she hadn't spend the entire day asleep.

"Hey, Hayley," Maleny greeted politely, urging Klaus with a look to be on his best behavior.

"Hi," Hayley mumbled and drank from her glass.

"Hayley, you want to-"

Klaus' phone went off again. With a light sigh, he pulled it out and answered without looking at the name on the screen. "Marlenie, what can you possibly want _now_?"

"Listen to me!" Davina urgently ordered, capturing his, Maleny's and Hayley's attention by the loud usage of her tone. "One of the Strix witches figured out what the secret weapon is!"

"Impossible," Klaus scoffed disbelievingly, "We have yet to discover it ourselves!"

"I discovered it! It's a little wooden horse craft - the one that Nicolas had!"

Maleny's heart pinged. She took out her phone and dialed immediately for Nicolas.

"How can you be sure?" Klaus asked Davina, though something in his mind told him the girl was being honest.

"Because it makes sense! Look, that girl, Madison, she's going to come for it!"

"Nicolas is on a road trip with Marlenie, far away from the Quarter…"

Maleny was chewing on her nails anxiously as the line continued to ring but no one answered. Frustrated, she hung up and tried for Marlenie.

"But that's not the problem!" Davina persisted in her bad news spree. "The problem is _who_ Madison's loyalty really lies with! She got into my head but I got inside hers too. She's not working for the Strix, Klaus, she's working with _Aurora_!"

Maleny shrieked and let the phone drop from her hand. Klaus hung up on Davina and rushed to her side, cradling her before she fell back.

"They're not answering! They're not answering!" Maleny had her hand over her heart, feeling very sick all of a sudden. "My twins! What happened to my twins!?"

~ 0 ~

Out in a dark road in the middle of nowhere was a turned over car. Smoke billowed from it and only the light croaks of the engines made a sound in the area. A couple feet from it laid a dark-haired woman on her side, her hair covering her face. She groaned and turned to lay on her back. At the sound of clicking heels nearing her, Marlenie forced her eyes opened.

Red hair was illuminated from the moon. "Well, well," went the familiar, high-pitched, voice beside Marlenie, "What a way to meet again."

"Aurora…?" Marlenie strained herself to get a look at the redhead.

Aurora had her hands tucked inside a fancy, black coat. "What a mess I had to cause just to get a little thing like this," she pulled out the wooden horse from her pocket and smiled.

It took only two seconds for Marlenie to remember what happened. She was driving and Nicolas was in the passenger seat, both chatting about something when Nicolas saw a lone figure in the distance ahead of them. But suddenly, somehow, their car went haywire and next thing they new they were rolling violently.

"Nicolas!" Marlenie shot up.

"Oh yes," Aurora glanced back at the car, tapping a finger to her chin, "The other one. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting him yet. Do tell him I meant no harm, I just wanted this," she waved the wooden horse at Marlenie.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Marlenie lunged for her but Aurora dodged to the side.

"Tsk, tsk, will you really let your poor, _mortal_ , brother die because you chose to fight little ole me?" Aurora pretended to pout, Marlenie hating her even more then because she was actually making a very good point. "Choose wisely Marlenie Mikaelson: me," she waved the wooden horse again, "or your brother," she gestured to the car.

Marlenie gazed at the destroyed car where her brother was still in. When she looked back to Aurora, she received a wave with a giggle before speeding out.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_**

So yeah, Marcel ended up taking over. I mean, the rules never said the player had to be part of the Strix. It only said whoever held the charter thing in the end would become the leader. And that ending, sheesh Aurora is so annoying even in fanfics xD.

 **For the review:**

Thank you! Hope you liked the newest chapter!

* * *

That's pretty much it for now. Oh, but I do have to shamelessly promote myself by saying there's a new story I posted from the Flash in case anyone happened to be a part of that fandom as well. It's in my profile now! ;). As usual, see you guys in two weeks for the next update! :)


	10. The Hunt

"Marcel, are you kidding me!?" Cami followed the new leader of the Strix around like a child would. "You can't just...kick me out!" Even saying the words didn't sound right to her.

But Marcel kept his word to Elijah.

He turned around, causing her to bump into him, and shook his head at her. "Look Cami, my decision is final. You nearly got yourself killed now I'm giving you the freedom to leave like you wanted!"

"But that was different!" she practically yelled in his face. " _You're_ the leader now! You would never do what Aya did to Gia! This-" she gestured between them, "-is something that can work!"

"I'm not changing my mind, alright? So just go home, Cami."

Cami scowled as he turned to leave. "I cannot believe you would do this to me. Actually," she said so sharply that Marcel stopped all on his own, "Since the little game Elijah pulled where you took away my reigns of the Quarter and suspiciously took the leadership...I haven't been able to sleep properly."

Marcel turned sideways, doing his best to keep a straight face. "I was just tired of it all-"

"But you betrayed me," Cami reminded. "I asked for your help to hide and then all of a sudden, just when I was about to win...you show up and you take it all away."

Marcel just stared.

"Marcel I'm going to ask you one time and I hope sincerely that for the friendship we have you will answer me with the truth," Cami started walking up to him, watching for any signs of faltering in Marcel's face. "Did Elijah have something to do with it?"

"Cami I-" Marcel had begun shaking his head again but Cami stopped it all.

"Marcel, did he plan all this?" she asked again. "Tell me please. After all the hell I've been through I deserve to know. Did he?"

Marcel hated that he just couldn't lie to her. His hung his head, and while no words were said Cami got everything she needed to know.

~ 0 ~

"I cannot believe there is no clue as to where this woman is!" Maleny fumed and stormed out of the lounge room, a couple seconds later followed by Amarrah. "HOW CAN YOU NOT FIND HER!?"

Amarrah remained at a safe distance from her friend - who on in any other occasion would have kept a better mood - and just shook her head again. "Because she clearly has a cloaking spell. And if I can't find her, then Freya can't as well, and much less the silly little human policemen Klaus has got in the Quarter."

"We need to find her!" Maleny exclaimed, and Amarrah swore she saw the smoke billowing from her ears.

She had never seen Maleny so angry - it was terrifying. She supposed this is what being a vampire now would do to Maleny. Her emotions - which were still trying to settle down from turning - were all over the place and heightened. With Aurora's latest act against then, it was no surprise Maleny was ready to burn down buildings.

"Mum?"

But alas, there were two voices that seemed to calm her down a bit.

Maleny whirled around as Nicolas walked out from his bedroom. Even though he was practically healed of all injuries from the car crash, thanks to Marlenie's blood, Maleny sped up to him and inspected him like he wasn't. It was quite a sight to see since Nicolas was taller than her by at least three inches.

"Mum, I'm fine, I told you," Nicolas lightly chuckled and pried his mother's hands off his face. "Marls healed me, remember?"

"Course I remember," Maleny withdrew her hands and curled them into fists. "Then I remember who's responsible and I think maybe it wasn't enough for that woman so she had someone do a spell on you or something.

"I assure you she hasn't," Nicolas looked over her to Amarrah, apologetically smiling at her for Maleny's shouts.

Maleny looked down at the courtyard and saw Marcel coming in. She left her son for a minute to address him from the balcony. "And nice of you to show up - where the hell have you been?"

Marcel rolled his eyes. The similarities between her and Klaus were at times uncanny. "I was making sure that the Strix and their witches are out trying to find Aurora, remember?"

Then again, striking differences made themselves present when it came time to call. It would take an army for Klaus to feel minimally comforted yet for Maleny having the presence of her son was enough.

"Mum, he's been helping, you don't have to be rude," Nicolas gently pulled her away from the balcony.

Maleny nodded in agreement. She was, after all, in debt with Marcel up to her heels for getting Cami out of the Strix. She shot Marcel with a much kinder look the next time she addressed him. "I'm sorry. Have you had any progress, Marcel?"

"Not in the slightest," Marcel sighed, equally frustrated as everyone else in the room.

"How is it that this woman can evade all of us?" Klaus and Elijah came in from yet another miserable search for Aurora. Klaus looked no less pleased with the results.

"She's cloaked," reminded Amarrah before shots were fired at her (and Freya's) work in the process. "She probably got the spell done by the very witch she killed."

That was the only progress they had made in the search. The dead witch, identified as Madison by the Strix, had been found dead in an alleyway most likely done by Aurora. Other than that, one could almost swear Aurora was a myth. She wasn't anywhere.

"Has anyone at least figured out how this witch was turned from?" Maleny thought to ask.

"Nothing," Marcel shook his head. "No one knows how Aurora got to her. No one knows where Aurora is. Our coven hit the same cloaking spell as Freya."

Klaus eyed Marcel for his choice of words. "Your coven? Making yourself quite comfortable with the Strix, aren't you?"

Marcel rolled his eyes at the accusation. "Yeah. Yeah, to help _you_."

"And we appreciate it," Maleny cut in before things turned bad. "Thank you Marcel."

Marcel gave a curt nod and left the place. He had other matters to get to now that he been named the Strix leader, or at least forced into it anyways.

~ 0 ~

Lonesome on a park bench in Jackson Square, Hayley blankly watched residents come and go and children play. When someone took a seat beside her, she did not look to greet them.

"This isn't the sort of place I would think of to mourn," Marlenie remarked politely. She pushed some of her black hair over her shoulder and looked at Hayley with a sympathetic smile. "But everyone has their mourning habits."

"Habits?" Hayley raised an eyebrow, key word just settling in her mind.

Marlenie laughed heartedly and shifted to somewhat face Hayley. "One of the oldest vampires in history and you don't think I've had my share of losses?"

Hayley agreed to that. It was foolish to think that a vampire of age like Marlenie's would never suffer some sort of loss.

Marlenie did not wait for Hayley to make a remark, fearing of losing the version of Hayley that was actually willing to speak. "I have never suffered a loss like the one you have, though. I hope never to have to."

Intrigued momentarily, Hayley turned her head to look at Marlenie. "So old and never had a love?"

"Once..." Marlenie said, but her face softened and she moved on like nothing. "I didn't really get to know Jackson, but I could see that he was a good man," Marlenie drew in towards her point. She eyed the baby tree not too far from them, knowing it had been the place for Jackson's final remnant. "I suppose you buried it there-" she nodded towards the baby tree, "-for my baby sister's sake?"

Hayley nodded. "At least Hope will have a place to visit him. I don't want her to forget how much she loved him."

"A man who was like a father to her," Marlenie acknowledged the importance of Jackson. "Hope was a very lucky to have that."

"I'm sure you've had-"

"I could not let anyone take the place of my parents," Marlenie said sharply, figuring where Hayley was heading. "When I got older, many people who managed to get past the idea of what I was sometimes thought they could parent me. They were wrong. I longed to have my parents, and now...I am afraid that I may lose them again. Which...is why I need you, Hayley."

"No offence, Marls, but I'm not exactly the go-to person you want at the moment."

"Please, my mother is on a rampage to find Aurora and she is nowhere near prepared to fight. And I have no doubt Aurora would try to use her to get to my father again. Mum is a baby-vamp and she needs someone to train."

"Then why don't you do it?" was Hayley's grand response.

"Because I want to help take Aurora down and I am capable enough. I plan on helping my father."

"She's not gonna go for it," Hayley said as a last resort.

Marlenie perked up at that practic 'yes'. "We're not exactly gonna ask for it."

Hayley raised an eyebrow, questioning the tactic Marlenie was thinking of using. But, for the moment, she didn't ask. She believed a proper distraction was in order. And hell, if helped take down that lunatic Aurora, so be it.

~ 0 ~

"What do you mean she's gone?" Klaus growled as he paced back and forth in his bedroom, his cellphone dangerously close to being smashed between his hand.

Elijah was on the other line, as was Amarrah, and apparently neither of them could find Freya in the belltower where she spent much of her time trying to locate Aurora.

"From the look of things... I would say that the lunatic ex found Freya," Elijah deduced, watching as Amarrah circled the table in the room boring a map.

"Then get Ammarah to track her - that's what she's there for!" Klaus exclaimed. He could hear Ammarah in the background cursing him out for his 'lack of manners' but he ignored her.

"There's no need for any of that," Elijah cut in when he thought Amarrah was done saying her colorful words. He had seen a scrap of paper on the edge of the table, a poem of some sort. "I got something."

And then he read the poem to Klaus, alerting them both that their eldest sister was trapped underground in the forest nearby. Hanging up to go meet with Elijah, he bumped into Nicolas on the other side.

"Where are you going?" his son asked mere seconds after. He may not have super hearing like the rest of the residents in the building but he was clever enough to figure it out.

"Somewhere important," Klaus went past him and down the open corridor.

"Mum is downstairs having herself a good feed," Nicolas turned and went after him. "And listen, Dad, about her...going…"

"Ooh she is _not_ going anywhere," Klaus stopped by the staircase, very firm on that idea. "I understand she wants to exact her revenge and I am 100% behind it but in this case Aurora possessing white oak stake bits means it's a trip only for me."

"I'd say it wouldn't be a trip for you," Nicolas crossed his arms, and received an amused look from his father. "I agree with you on that Mum shouldn't go anywhere. But what exactly do you intend on doing to keep her from going?"

"You leave that to little ole me," Marlenie had strode into the courtyard wearing a mischievous look. Klaus suspiciously eyed her from the top of the staircase. "One condition though: you take _me_."

"Why is my family full of deranged members?" Klaus muttered as he came down the stairs. "No, Marlenie-" he said sternly, "-you are not going with me."

"Of course I am," Marlenie stood right in front of him the moment his foot took the last step of the stairs. "Don't take Mum, I get that - she's a baby vamp - but I'm just as old and strong enough to fight like the Strix. Hell, I'm older than Aya, that should count for something."

"It should," agreed Nicolas with a nod, receiving a thankful point from Marlenie.

"Shut up!" snapped Klaus. "The both of you will stay here, with your mother, and Hope, and you will look after them-"

"I'm going!" Marlenie stood her ground. "And as for my dear Mother, don't worry. Hayley is going to be with her. That only leaves Nicolas and Hope, but don't worry-" she smirked at her brother past Klaus, "-I'm sure Hope can deal with my brother."

"Hey!" Nicolas scowled, but Marlenie just looked at her father patiently.

"So, shall we get going? Before Mum gets back?"

Klaus muttered under his breath how 'annoying his kids were sometimes' while leading Marlenie out, the latter beaming and winking at her partially irritated brother remaining back.

~ 0 ~

"Cami, you should really fix the doorbell," Maleny quietly said from underneath the threshold of Cami's apartment. She'd come in to see how Cami was doing after learning that Marcel had finally done what Elijah had asked.

"I keep forgetting to compel the shady landlord to fix it. Next time, text," Cami said blankly, letting a minute pass before she spoke again. "Oh, and Mal, I'm gonna need those dark objects back."

"C-come again?" Maleny raised an eyebrow.

"I _said_ I want my dark objects _back_. Klaus had no right to take them. They are part of the O'Connell bloodline and _that_ is _me_."

Any other moment Maleny would have questioned Cami's rude attitude, but after being kicked out of the Strix Maleny could see why Cami was in such a foul mood. The dark objects was just a way to release her anger, and since Klaus had taken all of the dark objects, including Cami's half, from Lucien's apartment and sealed them up in the compound, Cami had the perfect excuse to argue for them.

"Cami, look, I get you're mad but-"

"No you don't understand!" Cami snapped, stalking up to Maleny. "The only advantage I had to help you all and Marcel took it away from me! And not only that, he took the Quarter too! And all because Elijah asked him to!"

"Maybe now you could focus more on your psychology-"

"I DON'T WANT TO!"

Maleny flinched. Earlier she had been mad that Klaus left God knew where without her, but now seeing Cami she knew who won in the fury department.

Cami released a big breath ease her stress. "You don't get it! Elijah just went around making plans here and there for _me_ without actually asking me! He's just so..." she made air-strangling gestures.

"Overprotective?" Maleny finished for her with a small smile. Cami sighed and dropped her hands. "Yeah, I can relate to that. Ask me where Klaus is right now? Probably making plans to finish Aurora...without me."

"That's not fair!" Cami groaned and walked away from Maleny. "Who do they think they are to do that to us?"

"I presume the love of our lives who think they have to protect us at all costs." It was fairly amusing for Maleny to see Cami freeze in her spot. "I know, it's very annoying. Good news is, now that I have some super vampire strength I can actually make Klaus regret it."

Cami shook her head and went for her kitchen, intending on ignoring that specific part of the conversation.

"Cami," Maleny went after her, "I'm not saying that Elijah was right in doing so but...try to look at it from his point. Aya almost killed you. He thought having Marcel around would make things easier for you to leave the Strix."

Cami was in the middle of pouring herself a drink, shaking her head all the meanwhile Maleny talked. "No one asked him to."

"When you love someone, it doesn't matter if they ask you to protect them or not. They will do it," Maleny said plain and simple. "And yes, it's _very_ annoying and common grounds for argument, but you know that in the end they're only looking out for you."

Putting down her bottle of bourbon rather harshly on the counter, Cami turned to Maleny. "Okay, that all might make sense for _you_. Because, no matter how deranged and impulsive Klaus is he _always_ gives you your place. He always lets you in on-"

"Most of the time," Maleny corrected.

"Fine, most of the time he lets you in your plans. But above any of this stuff..." Cami paused, the words coming to her wounding her heart all over again, "...you _feel_ like you're family with him. Elijah has never showed me that. So he can't do any of this stuff to me."

Maleny wished it wasn't so complicated for the two, but alas...she was no miracle worker.

"There you are," Hayley came into the place like nothing, casually throwing a thumb over her shoulder as she told Cami, "You should really get that doorbell fixed."

Cami rolled her eyes and picked up her glass to drink.

"Hayley, what are you doing here?" Maleny frowned. "And do you know where Klaus is? Because, for some reason, neither he nor Marls are answering my calls."

"We have a place to go to," Hayley announced, glancing at Cami. "And it probably wouldn't hurt if Cami came with us."

Waving them off with a hand, Cami took a long drink from her glass. "I'm not going anywhere. Maleny, I expect those dark objects by tomorrow - tonight actually."

"Keep dreaming. As if I'm gonna give an emotional vampire dark objects," Maleny crossed her arms. "Least that's what Klaus told me yesterday when I mentioned them."

"So he's keeping them away from you too?" Cami frowned at this idea.

"No of course not," Maleny waved her off.

"Listen ladies," Hayley clapped her hands together, "dark objects are no longer of use to you. But if you want a better chance of getting your enemies back, you should follow me."

Cami exchanged a look with Maleny, both blondes agreeing this was part of something else they knew nothing about.

"I'm waiting!" they heard Hayley call from the entrance door.

~ 0 ~

"Your mother is going to kill you," was Klaus' final comment after hearing what Marlenie had done to keep Maleny away while they went to find Aurora. However, he could not disagree on the idea of having Maleny as far away as possible if they were to truly find Aurora.

Smirking to herself, as she had no ounce of regret for what she'd done, she followed Elijah into a wooden cabin that they found as part of Aurora's little poem scheme. It was a long way into the woods, and unfortunately Elijah could immediately see it had been abandoned.

"No one is here but Freya's blood tells me they were here."

"The stronger scent is due west," Klaus said after a moment of pause, now turning in the direction.

"I think it's time we split up," announced Marlenie.

Elijah agreed with a nod. "You two track the scent and I'll take the cabin."

"Let's go," Marlenie was all too pleased to go after what she hoped would finally lead them to Aurora Dr Martel. There was a score to settle. Because of Aurora's danger, Marlenie had to tell her friends to return to their place outside the Quarter, past the Algiers, because under no circumstances did she want her best friend, and their only trusted warlock, to face Aurora or the Strix for the moment.

~ 0 ~

Although it was a foggy morning, Marlenie and Klaus were able to get through to the intended space where the blood scent was incredibly strong. However, when they saw what laid ahead, they were far more than horrified. There was a grave that was visibly recently buried with fresh lavender plants over it.

"How _sadistic_ ," Marlenie remarked with pursed lips. "If she wasn't our enemy I'd congratulate her on her tactics."

"You want to share that with your mother?" a light smirk traced Klaus' lips.

"Then I think I really will die," Marlenie sucked a breath in.

They then wasted no time working together in digging out the grave. Between them, they pulled out the coffin and placed it on the ground next to the hole. Unfortunately, upon opening it, they found the words 'Guess Again' scribbled on it..in blood.

Frustrated, they realized they were surrounded by a dozen other graves. Marlenie fumed much like Klaus, both silently vowing to bring that redhead down once and for all the moment they saw her. They split apart for a moment to investigate the other graves, and suddenly, they got a strong whiff of familiar blood. Klaus was the first to see a lavender plant covered in Freya's blood, and figuring it was one of Freya's tricks to help find her easier, he rushed to go dig up that grave.

~ 0 ~

Hayley led both Maleny and Cami into the church-turned-gym and threw her jacket to the side, uncaring if it fell to the floor.

"I can't believe Marlenie put you up to this," Maleny was in a similar state of fume, unknowingly, as Marlenie and Klaus were. She had figured things out by that point and cursed herself for being so naive.

"Marlenie didn't put me up to anything, Maleny," Hayley remained calm as she led them around the wrestling cage. "She just made me realize things."

"Yeah, like what?" Maleny crossed her arms, in the same stance as Cami. Both blondes were pretty peeved.

Hayley sighed. "There is a fight coming - that's something _both_ of you need to understand. It's what the prophecy says. And, I'm sorry, but being baby vamps isn't going to help you."

"I would be at a little less at risk if someone handed over my dark objects," Cami turned on Maleny, still angry this topic was not being discussed.

Maleny groaned and turned to face Cami. "Okay, I'm trying to be understanding because you're clearly having a hard time but goddamit, Cami! What does it matter if you have them or not? Hayley's right about something: they're no use to us anymore. If you really want your half, fine, but don't use that as an excuse to take out your anger. You're mad at Elijah, you're mad at Marcel, you're mad at _yourself_ -"

" _M_ _yself_!?" Cami repeated, incredulously.

"Yes!" Maleny threw her hands in the air. "Maybe because you didn't figure out that you were being tricked.

"Ladies," Hayley clapped her hands and made both blondes look her way. "Stupid little boxes aren't going to get you anywhere. There's no point in arguing. You're both in line with the Mikaelsons, making you easy targets for their enemies. I'd step up if I were you."

"Is this your idea of a pep talk?" Maleny raised an eyebrow.

"How am I doing?"

Cami and Maleny exchanged unamused looks then answered simultaneously. "Awful."

Wearing a tiny smirk, Hayley went up to the cage and unlocked it. "Which one of you's first?"

"She is," each blond pointed at each other, making Hayley's smirk widen.

~ 0 ~

Elijah stood tall and easy across Aurora, despite having a white oak stake gun pointed at him. Aurora had made it perfectly clear she awaiting the arrival of Klaus to, apparently, witness the death of his older brother...not that Elijah cared much. He could see how less put together than normal Aurora was now - what with losing her brother and, in her mind, Klaus, there wasn't much left to sanity. The cabin was empty except for them, and as Aurora droned on and on, she wasn't able to quite capture the fact people were nearing them.

It wasn't until Marlenie swept in first and bashed Aurora over the head with a lone, thick wooden board. "That was for my brother! And this one's gonna be for me!"

Aurora had dropped the gun with the force and looked up with a bloody forehead. Elijah quickly nabbed the gun from the floor and smiled proudly at his niece. "Ah, there you are, Marlenie. And your father?"

Marlenie was about to thrash Aurora again when she looked up to nod over to the entrance of the cabin where Klaus was helping a weakened Freya walk. "Marlenie, I said to wait!" Klaus shouted at her .

Aurora took her chance and punched Marlenie across the face, knocking to the slightly younger vampire to the ground. "You fight like your mother - weak."

Marlenie growled and swiped a foot across Aurora's legs, instantly knocking the redhead down. "Don't you talk about my mother that way, bitch."

Klaus left Freya with Elijah and rushed to go stop whatever fight was about to happen. Unfortunately, Marlenie's abruptness had given Aurora the perfect chance to escape through the wide open door. It was really no surprise to Klaus, nor Elijah, but Marlenie was mortified to see what she had caused.

~ 0 ~

"Ow!" Maleny cried as she landed face first against the wall of the cage. Furious, she whipped around and faced Hayley. "That _hurt_!"

"Kinda the point, Mal," Hayley released a breath and moved a strand of her hair from her face. "I'm not Klaus - I won't go easy."

"I think that was an insult," Maleny glanced at Cami who stood outside the cage watching them. "Was it?"

"A heads up," Hayley straightened, showing a glimpse of a smirk. "Now c'mon, you're a thousand year old witch turned vampire with a hell of a motive to kick ass. Gonna show me what you got?"

"...I don't wanna," Maleny confessed but Hayley motioned her to get started with two fingers. Rolling her eyes and basically sucking it up, Maleny lunged forwards. She tried punching Hayley but the hybrid dodged the first one and blocked the second one. More frustrated, Maleny kicked a leg up and when that didn't work she went sneakier and sucker punched Hayley on the stomach. Hayley went against the cage and Maleny clapped a hand over her mouth. "Did that hurt? Tell me that didn't hurt?"

"You took down an entire wolf army and you're seriously scared of _this_?" Cami called from outside, looking more or less disappointed.

"This is different - I like Hayley! And I'm not fearing for my life right at the moment," Maleny argued, gesturing to their serene place of training. "This is nothing like the bayou and Finn's wolves."

"But it could be very soon," Hayley cut back in as she walked out of the cage for the bench. "Which is why you both need to be prepared to kick ass."

"We're like a little team," Maleny smiled to herself and left the cage as well.

"We could've almost passed for Charlie's Angels," Hayley thought to joke but only Cami got it.

"What's that?" Maleny blinked.

"Something you have yet to watch," Hayley patted her on the arm. Hearing her cellphone go off inside her jacket she moved to answer.

"You're not still mad at me, are you?" Maleny asked Cami, deciding to get that cleared up.

"No…" Cami said quietly, "I wasn't ever mad at _you,_ I just...I just can't believe Marcel did this to me. He took...everything from city. The membership. And because _Elijah_ asked him to."

"But Cami, did you actually want to stay in the Strix? After what they did to Gia?"

"I was never with them, Maleny. I was using it to help Elijah. Now I don't have anyway to help him. I...lost the only thing that made me useful to him."

Right when Maleny realized what this anger was actually about, the doors of the gym burst open. The Strix's witches strode in at once, and they meant business. Hayley had only just received Davina's urgent warning but only at midway. Still, she sprung into action.

"Mal, Cami, get out of here right now!"

But before either blonde could even think about leaving, one of the witches thrust Hayley with a spell that sent her flying back against a wall. The attack didn't stop there, the witch repeated the action over and over.

Maleny couldn't watch any longer and sped behind the witch, quickly whacking her on the head with an elbow. However, the second sister cast an anyeurism spell that put Maleny down on the ground with unbearable pain. Cami moved to help her but the third witch cast another pain inflicting spell that knocked her out completely. Hayley was left to fend for herself, and unfortunately this time they went after her bones. She screamed as something twisted within her chest. It wasn't until she felt something soaking her shirt did she realize her _heart_ was creating a bulge under her skin. The sisters banded together and ushered the spell on, forcing Hayley on her knees. She cursed at them from here to hell, but nothing made them desist. They wanted their heart and they seemed pretty hell bent on getting it.

However, across the city, Davina and a certain dead Mikaelson were about to help her in a pretty unorthodox way. Using magic, Davina was made unconscious and thus her connection with the Sisters caused them to drop on the floor as well. Hayley dropped on her side, her breathing rapidly increasing but still she was only healing herself. Only after a moment did Aya stride in like nothing.

"I thought...I smelled arrogance," Hayley breathed in, sitting upright and discreetly glancing at her two unconscious friends nearby.

"I think you meant confidence," Aya smugly smiled. "But I can understand how the uneducated are apt to confuse the two."

"Yeah? You want to tell me what your dead-eyed drones want with my heart?"

"It's nothing personal. I just value my life above yours." And without further ado, Aya lunged for Hayley, intending on finishing the sister's job to pull the heart out.

Hayley scrambled away and grabbed a metal hand which she used to backhand Aya across the face twice. Aya got through and captured Hayley in a tight choke-hold and slammed her against a shelf. With the blow, Hayley went thoroughly under. If it wasn't for Marcel coming in seconds before, Aya would have surely pulled her heart out.

"Aya, you take her heart, you start a war," he snapped, yanking Aya away. "Don't you understand any logic? Why do you think I let Cami go? We can't afford wars here."

"Don't let your association with werewolf trash cloud the opportunity before you," Aya gestured to Hayley. "And as for Cami, I would've thought it was more of your friendly affection for her that clouded your duty to keep her here as dictates her responsibilities."

"The Mikaelsons will kill us before you can even light the candles on the spell," Marcel persisted.

"There is no alternative!"

"You're wrong. Give me a few hours to set this thing straight. Or push me out of the way and condemn yourself and everyone else in the Strix to a slow and painful death. I want to be de-linked just as much as you do. Give me the chance to do it the right way."

Aya glared at Marcel, knowing, deep down, he was probably right in that this would definitely start a war with the Mikaelsons. Still, she supposed nothing could happen if she gave Marcel a little chance.

"Bring me a solution by midnight, or I will rip out your heart right before I come back and take hers," she pointed at Marcel before speeding away.

~ 0 ~

"The attack was about breaking the sire link. Marcel told me that Aya's witches already have a spell to do it," Hayley explained to both Klaus and Elijah in the compound courtyard. Neither brother was pleased to hear about the attack in the gym.

"And how does your heart play into all of this?" Klaus wondered, knowing the answer would be even more tedious.

"I'm the only un-sired vampire in history. Apparently, that's the key to making it work."

"And yet, Marcel neglected to mention it this morning," Klaus frowned, but Hayley didn't seem so upset.

"Ease up. He saved me, Maleny and Cami if both of you have forgotten," she reminded.

"But the Strix might yet come for you again," Elijah expressed his concern.

"Let them," Hayley said. "I'm not an easy target. They'd be better off trying to find some witchy workaround."

That sentence made them all freeze with realization.

"Unless they already have," Klaus was the first to say it openly.

Hayley slowly looked down at her hand that still bore her wedding band. "They need my heart. Or one that's identical to it."

"Jackson," Elijah sympathetically looked at her.

"The Unification Ceremony didn't just marry us - it also made his heart a mirror image of mine."

"We need to dig it up," Klaus said not a moment later. He discarded Hayley's attempt to dissuade. "Aurora escaped with more of the White Oak and when she returns- and she will- I would prefer the vampires of New Orleans be obligated to protect us. They'll be more likely to do so if our lives remain linked to theirs."

"Niklaus is right," Elijah nodded, much to Hayley's dismay. "The sire-link has to remain unbroken. We have to go."

Hayley understood it was for the bigger issue...but it did not mean she was an ounce happy. Unfortunately, they would soon learn that someone else had has already beat them to the heart.

~ 0 ~

Much later, Marcel returned to the Davilla estate holding the small chest containing Jackson's heart. Behind him were Davina and the rest of the Sisters. Aya was not content with his solution that turned out to have worked.

"This is your solution, Marcel? The heart of a dead werewolf?"

Marcel was in awe at how ignorant she was. "Well, not just any werewolf- Hayley's husband. I was at her wedding. His heart became one with hers. Ask Davina."

"He's right. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't gonna work," Davina nodded.

Aya seemed to be warming up to the idea. "I assume the grieving widow didn't just hand it over. Pray tell, how did you procure this little gem?"

"This is my city. Nothing happens in it without me knowing."

Aya rolled her eyes and took the box from him. She handed it over to Davina and motioned for them to get started with the task. Marcel called to her as she was leaving, prompting from her a thank you at least for his services...not that it mattered to her.

Still, she gave him a little credit. "You did prove yourself quite the creative leader today."

"Yeah, I'd say so, considering I just found a way to keep you and everyone in this organization alive," Marcel said casually and walked up to her, becoming serious. "I want to be free of the Mikaelsons just as much as you do. Get in the way of that again, and I will be just as creative in finding a way to kill you."

Aya twitched a smile. "Don't be cross, Marcel Gerard. You're finally starting to learn. Commitment to a common goal is as strong a bond as family."

~ 0 ~

In the downstairs lounge room, Maleny passed the pages of Cami's dark object catalog book. Because of the day's events, she decided it was time to go back and see what was actually being kept in the compound. She was still wondering if Cami would later come back, thinking clearly, to demand her half of the stock.

 _It's only fair_ , mused Maleny. If roles were reversed, she probably would be asking for them too. Although now that she was looking at her half, she was thinking that perhaps it was time to introduce Nicolas to the stock and let him have it, and in the future Hope would have them too.

She began to hear footsteps nearing the room, and spoke up just as Klaus walked in. "You should know that I'm going to chew your head off."

Klaus briefly smirked, assuming this would be his punishment for keeping her away from the Aurora-hunt. "Marlenie tell you?"

Maleny looked up and slammed the catalog book shut. "Do I _look_ like an idiot to you?" her accusing eyes landed on him, close to forming a mini-glare.

"I have the feeling that no matter how I answer, it's not going to bode well for me," Klaus admitted, slowly coming up to the couch.

"I told you so many times before that I don't like being babied. I thought that when I became a vampire it would stop," Maleny shifted on the couch to face him, showing her true feelings of disappointment, and frankly pain. "But today you proved it never will."

Klaus sighed and faced her as well. "Well of course it's never going to end." Maleny's eyes widened, completely outraged. Klaus quickly explained himself before she threw the book at his head. "Mal, you're young right now, and I want to keep you away from the danger that I can. Aurora is nearly our age - imagine how much strength she has as a vampire?"

"Okay, fine, I _am_ weak," Maleny mumbled, leaning an elbow on the back of the couch to then rest her cheek on her hand.

"You know it's not that-"

"I know that but it's basically it, isn't it? I'm a baby-vamp and she's ancient. My chances against her are low but do you know what? I don't care. Because just like when Cami fought some ancient Strix member for her initiation, I would use my _brain_ against Aurora. Brawns over brains is her tactic, but it's not mine."

Klaus loved that smirk on Maleny's face. He leaned forwards till they were inches apart. "My apologies, then."

Maleny kept a straight face for as much as she could. "You owe me for this. Using my daughter to trick me?"

"By the time Marls came to me she had already enacted her plan," Klaus defended himself.

"Clever words will not get you out of this," Maleny warned, pointing a finger at him.

Klaus took her finger and slowly curled his fingers around her hand. "I intend to use...other means..." he raised her hand to his lips for a soft kiss.

~ 0 ~

Nicolas yawned as he walked into the study room upstairs. He was surprised to find his twin sister drinking at the bar. "Easy up, Marls, Dad's gonna kill you if you drink his stock in one night." However, she made no come back and that alone was a red flag. Therefore, he made no more jokes and walked over to see how she was. "Hey Marls, what's up?"

Marlenie put down her near empty glass on the counter and answered without looking at him. "Hasn't anyone told you yet? She got away."

Being too brief, Nicolas didn't quite understand. "Who did?" he asked again, taking a seat beside her at the bar counter.

"She did, Aurora. I let her get her away," Marlenie repeated, and it looked like it hurt her each time. "I picked a fight at the wrong time, and because of me, neither Dad nor uncle Elijah could catch her. I ruined it."

"Marls, don't think like that-"

"It's not just that!" Marlenie exclaimed, looking more devastated. "My brilliant plan with Mum got her hurt too. I thought I was so clever today but it turns out I got everything wrong."

"So, your plans didn't go as you wanted but it doesn't mean everything was on you. The Strix was coming anyways, and Mum was just at the wrong place at the wrong time-"

"Because of **me** ," Marlenie gestured to herself.

"What happened was not on you, Marlenie."

"Yes, it was." Marlenie insisted, and quite quietly too. She stared at her glass long and hard before speaking again. "I think that, after all this time searching for a family I forgot _how_ to be in one." At Nicolas' face, she elaborated. "Throughout the centuries, I've only ever had one person that could come close to family. Evie was the girl I met in the Velden residence when I took it over. She was like me. Her parents had died from an illness and she was left orphaned in her own family. Nobody paid real attention to her. And then I came, and somehow we both connected despite my vampirism. I eventually turned her and together we created out clothing designer company. She is like a sister to me. But even then, it's not the same. I need my parents...I needed _you_. I spent every waking moment searching for Dad, for any Mikaelson, but I never thought about what I should do _afterwards_. I've only ever thought about _me_ because it's always been me against the world."

"But it's not like that anymore," Nicolas said and gently pushed Marlenie's glass away from her. "We found each other again, Marls. We found our parents. And we are never gonna be separated again." He looped an arm around her shoulders and she leaned closer to him. "It's never going to be you against the world anymore, okay?" Marlenie nodded and slowly relaxed with her brother.

* * *

 _ **Author's note:**_

Ah, what an episode! When Freya was stuck in that coffin I nearly screamed thinking they wouldn't find her in time lmao. But actually, I was having a bit of trouble doing this episode because I couldn't decide what characters to place where. Originally, I had Maleny actually going with Klaus & Elijah to find Aurora...but then I changed it to Marlenie for the exact reason above. We realize that while Marlenie shares a lot of her parents' genes, she doesn't actually know _how_ to be in a family. We have to remember that unlike Nicolas, she wasn't with family. While Nicolas shared some time with Freya, Marlenie went years on her own as a human trying to survive until she was turned. I thought it would be an interesting point to bring up for Marlenie, what do you think? But don't worry, Maleny will still have a moment to face Aurora ;)

 _ **For the reviews:**_

Thank you! I hope the new chapter was also good! :)

Well first of all congrats on finishing your exams! I'm glad you like the little family I've put together lmao they're so nice to write about! We have a little insight on Marlenie this chapter, and we're gonna see Nicolas' acting as well a little later on! Awww, thank you so much! I hope you liked this new chapter too and it made it worthwhile!

* * *

Soo, next chapter is the big ole crossover with the strix showdown! Yowzah what a chapter it was!


	11. All For You

Under a dark night, Cami stood in front of her family tomb plot in the cemetery with purple flowers in her hands. She bent down and placed the flowers on the ground next to the plot. The sound of crunched leaves let her know someone was approaching her, but she did not turn to greet them.

"Any point in coming to see me?" she asked coldly.

Elijah stepped forwards, so strangely uncomfortable with himself. He didn't know how to act around her already, but after Maleny spoke with him he knew this was the place he needed to be. "Camille, I've been meaning to speak with you since-"

Cami turned around, revealing a face that had already shed tears countless times in the day. Her red eyes glimmered under the thin lights of the cemetary. "Since I lost the only thing I could use to help you? Yeah."

Elijah felt, for a lack of better word, useless because looking at her right now. He couldn't come up with words for her. It was his fault she was like this, after all. He and Marcel arranged this.

"Do you know what's the funny part?" Cami asked, deciding then there was no point in hiding anything. She didn't want to anymore. It was all...tiring. "In the beginning I said - I was so sure - that I was only joining the Strix to help you and your family. It was…" she laughed at the idea she now saw was so absurd, "...strictly professional. To make sure my life remained." She shook her head, quietly sniffing. "That was a lie. It was such a lie and I was so stupid for not being able to see it. I wanted it, because it would, inevitably, have you near me. That's...that's all on me. This is my fault."

"Camille," Elijah said again, almost begging her to stop and let him speak. But Cami couldn't let him do that.

"I love you, Elijah," she swallowed down a sob, "And I think, that I needed to say this out loud at least once so that...so that I can start moving on. Because I know that you will never choose me over your family, I want to stop this-" she patted a hand over her chest, "-constant feeling. Because the truth is, what you did once you will do again."

"I would never do that again," Elijah finally made a response, and a true one.

"It's who you are, Elijah!" Cami almost snapped, not out of anger but of frustration that he couldn't see it nor accept it. "Is that not what you did to Aya?"

"That was different. You cannot possibly compare the situations-"

"You left her for your family, because they were important. You fought me for Hayley and Hope - your family. To you, family is everything. It's who you are, I can't change that. I decided that I don't want to take that risk anymore."

Elijah could thej see something new in her eyes, something that he didn't agree with.

She raised her head and with a shaky tone declared, "I'm leaving the Quarter." The reaction on Elijah was immediate with devastation. "I served my purpose to you and the others. I lost it. I don't...I can't be here. But it's what you wanted, no?"

There, Elijah couldn't disagree. He looked to the side, and swallowed all and any thoughts to persuade her to stay. It _was_ originally his idea for her to just go. Because, above all, he wanted her to be safe. Without saying a word, he gave a light nod of his head.

Cami could not deny to herself that it hurt to see he wasn't even going to attempt to argue with her about it. She felt, well, betrayed, yet again. No longer would she cry then, she thought to herself. There was no point. "I'll talk to Maleny tomorrow about it, explain, and I'll be out of your hair."

After blinking once, Cami was gone.

~ 0 ~

"I'm gonna kill him," Maleny declared the moment she walked into the study room where both Marlenie and Freya were. She failed to see how worried both women looked as she sat on the arm rest of the couch.

"What's wrong, Mum?" Marlenie looked from her aunt Freya. She saw that Maleny was alone after a couple a seconds. "Hey, where's…"

"Klaus? I've no idea," Maleny answered with a wide, fake smile. "Because he _left_ me early in the afternoon." Her smile dropped. "I'm gonna kill him."

She was fairly upset because Klaus had promised her they would work to figure out a way to bring down Aurora and the rest of the Strix. But after a couple drinks, he suddenly ushered her outside the place, telling her to go ahead and find a bench for them at Jackson Square and that he would catch up in a moment. Stupid she was, she believed him.

Many hours later, he still had yet to show up.

Marlenie tried her best not to laugh out loud, but the small snorts caught her mother's attention. "I'm sorry, is this _funny_ to you?" Maleny demanded.

"No…" Marlenie's widening smile betrayed her. "It's just...well...dad blew you off."

Maleny's look spelled doom. Freya glanced at her niece, quietly ordering her to stop. "Go find your brother, please. Remember?" the pointed look she had on and Marlenie's suddenly grimness warned Maleny something else was coming.

Without saying a word, Marlenie stood up and walked out of the room. Almost immediately, Elijah came in, looking worse for wear.

"Did you find Cami like I told you to?" Maleny asked but Elijah made a beeline for the drinks.

"We need to talk," Freya announcing cut off the response Elijah so did not want to give just yet. She too got up, and began fiddling with her fingers.

"What's up?" Maleny raised an eyebrow.

Freya fumbled over her words, so much that eventually Elijah noticed it. He lowered his glass on the counter and shifted to his sister. "Freya?"

"Freya, c'mon, what's going on?" Maleny asked again, and frankly felt she was becoming a broken record asking so many questions.

"It's...about Rebekah," Freya briefly began, nearly flinching under the change of looks from the two.

"What's wrong with her?" Elijah quickly asked, forgoing his drink completely and getting up.

"Marlenie and I thought, that after this time, it's probably time for you guys to know." Freya sighed, and before she could reveal the secret, Nicolas stormed into the room.

"Aunt Freya and Marlenie daggered aunt Rebekah!"

" _What_?" Elijah nearly jumped out of his stool. The anger seeped on his face fast as he hurried up to Freya. "You didn't. Tell me you didn't!"

Marlenie slowly came into the room but stayed near the doorway, looking close to tears. Maleny, staying where she was, turned her head in her direction. "Marlenie, what's going on?"

"Tell them what you did!" ordered Nicolas. "Tell them how you daggered aunt Rebekah! Tell them!"

"You act like what we did was fine with us!" snapped Marlenie who was, by now, red faced. "It was Christmas night and we had to put down my aunt! You think that was the cherry on top I was looking for?"

"Shut up, the both of you!" Maleny called to them and looked at Freya. "Mind explaining?"

Freya looked irritated but nonetheless went on without saying anything. "Rebekah was on her way to the airport when the curse came back...and Rebekah didn't want to run anymore. She called us in...and she asked us to do it."

"Do you not realize that by doing this you have completed a part of the prophecy?" Elijah ran a hand through his hair, frustrated he was just now hearing about this.

"There was nothing else we could do at the time, Elijah," Freya said grimly. "It's a secret we've had to hide for so long."

"So why tell us now, then?" Maleny asked the winning question. She had remained sitting on the couch arm rest attentively listening for any key responses from either Freya or Marlenie.

"The de-linking spell," Marlenie answered quietly, rubbing her arm. "They're getting closer to it now that they have Jackson's heart. It's only fair if you knew what happened."

"You should have said something," Elijah persisted with Freya. "Me, Niklaus, we needed to know this, Freya. The prophecy said that we would all fall - one by family I should add."

"The prophecy says you three will be felled by friend, family, and foe. I know it well, Elijah, believe me," snapped Freya. "Rebekah fell by family and it hurts but at least it wasn't for evil purposes."

"Yeah, I mean, it would now only leave friend and foe," Maleny chimed in, trying to ease tensions. She glanced at Marlenie who was still worked up. "Nick, take your sister please."

"Whatever," the warlock muttered and ushered Marlenie out of the room.

"So, foes," Maleny returned to the conversation at hand. She looked at Elijah. "No offense, but you and Klaus have...an extensive list."

"Just one or two," Elijah returned to the counter for his drink.

"Well, at least you both suck at making friends," Maleny mumbled, getting a hum of agreement from Freya.

But, then, as luck would have it, Klaus strode into the room with Stefan Salvatore behind him. "Freya-" he began, but Maleny had the last word there.

"And speak of the devil," she got up and turned around and froze at the sight of a young man behind Klaus, tall, brunette and with dark eyes.

"This is Stefan Salvatore, an old friend," Klaus gestured to the man who received a very tight cordial greeting in return. "One of my trickle-down sirelings. Long story."

"Oh. Long story?" Maleny repeated, crossing her arms and keeping her eyes trained on Stefan. "You...blew me off for him?" the question came out oddly soft and quiet. No one could even consider what was running through her head.

"I didn't mean to," Klaus pointed at her, but she scoffed, regaining her previous irritation with him.

" _All day_ you didn't mean to?" she challenged.

"Well..."

"Oh, shut up," she rolled her eyes and turned away from him, walking to the bar counter where Elijah was setting himself up with another drink.

Stefan was, so far, impressed and confused. Last time he heard nobody to spoke to Klaus Mikaelson that way yet this blonde woman showed not an ounce of fear nor regret. In fact, she seemed entitled. She seemed familiar, actually, but he just couldn't quite place his finger on it.

Klaus seemed not annoyed but unsurprised he was being treated this way. "Stefan, this is Freya," he gestured to his eldest sister who looked more horrified than ever, "my brand-new older sister. Also a long story." Stefan politely greeted her with a smile but Freya did not move from her spot. "Stefan needs a favor," Klaus told her.

Freya finally made a noise after swallowing hard. "You're an...old 'friend' are you?"

"Well.." Stefan swayed his head, "...that kind of depends on your definition."

"Which means-" Maleny bobbed her head while dropping ice into her glass at the counter, "-he's either bitten you, threatened you, attempted murder on you or-"

" _Mal_ ," Klaus shot her a look but having her back to him made it a lot easier to continue.

"-or gave you an ultimatum, etc. etc." Maleny turned around with an innocent smile on her lips. "Am I wrong, darling?"

Cutting into the mini-stare down, Elijah called to Klaus. He too was unhappy with the newest of visitors, but unlike Freya who seemed shell shocked, he was going to act on it. He took Klaus out of the room, letting Freya and Maleny deal with Stefan for the moment. Awkward as it may be, Freya set to work.

"I'm gonna need the spell books," she told Maleny who was drowning the first of her drink at the counter.

"I put my mother's grimoire in Nicolas' room now. Ask him about it."

Freya shrugged, gave Stefan a 'wait for me here' look, and walked out. After a moment of only glass making noises, Stefan cleared his throat and spoke directly to her for the first time.

"I, uh, didn't mean to cause problems…"

Maleny turned around no longer wearing her annoyed look. She chuckled. "Well, I'm not mad at you, Stefan. I'm willing to bet that if you're _here_ you've got a very big problem at Mystic Falls."

The look on Stefan's face told her he had no idea how she knew of his home.

She laughed more softly now. "You don't remember me?"

"Should I…?" he was afraid to come out and say he really could not remember her.

"I guess you wouldn't," shrugged Maleny who came by the couch. "Klaus didn't really like me talking to you people for some reason. I'm Maleny Rowan. Klaus took me to Mystic Falls to visit because it was where we were born as mortals. I also made a pseudo-grave for my mother but that's not really relevant." She plopped down on the couch, crossing one leg over the other while Stefan remained standing. "I bumped into you outside the Mystic Grill - that's what it was called right?"

And then it came back to Stefan. That day he had bumped into a some out-of-place blonde woman who looked uncomfortable and nervous yet was with the most notorious vampires in history.

"You were with Klaus when he came back for a day," he finally said, seeing her nod in agreement.

"Technically, _he_ brought _me_. It wasn't his visit, it was _mine_." She shrugged lightly, taking a sip of her drink.

"So you and him were like a-"

Maleny had shaken her head to interrupt him. "Not 'were', we _are_ a thing. I assume that's what you were gonna say?" Stefan made an apologetic smile for a response. "Yeah, everyone I talked to in that town gave me the same look. Surprise, the big bad wolf has a soft spot."

"Hard to believe, honestly," Stefan mumbled, but slowly everything that happened with Klaus earlier in the day started making sense. "You know, I suppose the reason he left you in the beginning was because he saw me."

"Doesn't excuse him," Maleny flatly said, once again drinking from her glass.

"It does when he learned that I was basically running away from a mystical vampire huntress who stabbed me with a magic sword and can basically find my location by a wound."

Silently, Maleny lowered her glass, her attention obviously piqued.

"Look, I don't exactly intend on seeing Klaus in a whole new light just because he managed to find someone who can stand him-" Stefan stopped and shared a smile with her, "-but in this case he was helping me. This woman is dangerous - Klaus killed her but she regenerates and she's coming for me. Before this, I doubt he wanted you anywhere near me."

"Okay," Maleny looked around as she considered his story, "I can get over him blowing me off but what I can't quite get over at the moment is receiving not even a minimal curtesy telling me to quit waiting for him. He'll have to make that up to me eventually."

"Mum!" Marlenie came stomping in with a pout. "Dad said I couldn't go with him and uncle Elijah to wherever Hayley found Aurora."

"... _Dad_?" was all Stefan was able to say after that monumental surprise.

Maleny, who was far more concerned with her daughter's information, distractedly (and briefly) explained, "We had kids," she waved a hand then fully addressed Marlenie. "What do you mean he's found Aurora?"

"Uncle Elijah got a call from Hayley saying they found that bitch somewhere but Dad said I couldn't come." Marlenie shook her head. "I told him I would do whatever he asked this time, I'm better now."

"Get over it," Nicolas came in with Freya, he holding his maternal grandmother's spell book.

"Shut up," Marlenie said in the same manner Maleny had earlier that, despite sharing no physical features, Stefan could see the mother-daughter similarities.

Nicolas rolled his eyes and walked up to Maleny. "Aunt Freya said she needed the book for something…?"

"Yes," Maleny cleared her throat as she walked closer to Stefan. "Your father brought a friend to be helped."

"A friend?" both twins trained eyes on Stefan who looked, now more than ever, dumbfounded.

"Dad doesn't have friends," Marlenie scowled.

"And the ones he has aren't so great," added Nicolas.

"Shut up, the both of you," Maleny pointed at them. "Stefan, I'd like you to meet my twins - Nicolas and Marlenie. Long story, as Klaus would say. You two better be nice to him because I liked him." She smiled at Stefan. "I met him in Mystic Falls but he didn't quite remember me."

Freya walked over, taking the spell book from Nicolas. "We need to get to work, and fast."

"It depends on what he needs though," Nicolas said, eyeing Stefan still with mild mistrust. He, like Freya, wanted nothing to do with any of the 'friends' his father and Elijah managed to make so far.

"Tell them what happened," Maleny said to Stefan and moved away from him. "Meanwhile, Marls, come with me. I need to find your father."

"You're not gonna find him anymore," Marlenie muttered as she followed Maleny out. "I'm telling you, they found Aurora."

"Phone me."

With a roll of her eyes, Marlenie pulled out her cellphone and handed it to Maleny.

"What are you doing? It's not like Dad's gonna answer you-"

"Oh, he will if he wants to sleep in the same room tonight," Maleny handed Marlenie the glass she was drinking from. She dialed for Klaus and pressed the phone to her ear as it rang.

"Hello, love, speaking to me are we?" came the suave response not a minute after.

Maleny rolled her eyes. "Oh you'll be jumping through hoops for ditching me today, Niklaus Mikaelson."

"Ouch, using my full name?" Klaus sounded amused which only irritated Maleny more. "I suppose you want to know where we are."

"Hmm, yes, I think that would be nice considering you left a stranger in our home. I would like to know where that redheaded bitch is so I can beat the living crap out of her and then b-"

"I promise you, you will get your turn but at least let me deliver her to you like a proper gentleman."

Marlenie scoffed from behind. "Is he for real?"

Maleny just smiled. "Well, I guess that would be quite acceptable. Good points. Mr. Mikaelson."

"You'll have her by tonight, I swear."

With that, they hung up.

Marlenie was making a pretend gagging face when Maleny turned around. "Mature," Maleny remarked and walked back for the staircase.

When they returned to the lounge room, Freya had already conjured up some sort of pasty cream in a bowl that would apparently be for a spell. Marlenie, making a face, walked over to see her finish it up.

"Eugh, what is that, aunt Freya?"

"Something to get Stefan ready to go," she mumbled but of course Stefan had heard her perfectly from the couch.

Maleny apologetically smiled and went for him. "Don't take it the wrong way."

But Freya had that look that said he probably should take it the way she meant it. The witch came back holding the bowl while nodding Stefan to take a seat. "I'm gonna need to see the scar."

"What scar?" Marlenie curiously leaned forwards, only to have her mother yank her back so that Freya could work.

"It's a mystical wound," Stefan told her for her benefit of curiosity. "Crazy woman trying to kill me and the scar is like a beacon for her to find me."

"Yikes," Marlenie made a face.

"Klaus killed her…" Freya had dabbed her hand into the bowl, "...but surprise, surprise, she regenerates."

"Of course she does," Marlenie frowned. "So now I imagine she's heading our way."

"Not with this she's not," Freya rubbed the herbal paste over Stefan's scar (which still bled). "I can't cure the wound, but this paste will mask its signal. Just let that dry, and you'll be on your merry way."

Stefan knew this was never going to be a cordial meeting, but he sensed there was something else going on that had everyone acting this way. Even the cheery blonde he met in Mystic Falls wore some sort of grimness that just didn't fit her facial features. "You know, not that I was expecting a, uh, parade or anything, but why is everyone so eager for me to go?"

The three woman looked at each other, but Freya was the least incited to share the story. She got up and took the bowl with her to the table to clean it up.

"It's not that you're not welcomed," began Maleny, beginning to feel a little bit of guilt, "It's just...there's a whole wad of trouble here right now."

"Most importantly there's this secret society uncle Elijah - for some reason - decided to begin oh-so-many-centuries-ago that's becoming so annoying. Can you believe they're actually trying to undo the very spell that sires vampires to my Dad and his siblings?" Marlenie rolled her eyes.

Stefan's eyebrows shot up. He looked over to Maleny as if to ask if all this was true. The mere look on her face told him it was.

~ 0 ~

When Klaus awoke he was most certainly not expecting to find himself in a brightened - yet fuzzy - elegant looking room. He heard noises beside him and rolled over to see Elijah was with him, also barely waking up from whatever spell the Strix's witches had cast over them. He heard a familiar giggle - one he wished he never had to hear again - and turned to see Aurora standing beside Tristan, both siblings looking rather smug.

"Oh, Nik. The funny faces you make when someone surprises you," Aurora tilted her head at him.

"So good to see you both again, especially today," Tristan casually greeted the two brothers.

"How the hell are we here?" Klaus soon got up, racking his mind to remember exactly what brought them there.

Aurora took it as a childish game and shot up an arm in the air. "Oooh! I know the answer to that one. It's representational magic. Something in this room represents each one of us," she gestured the room and all its content.

"Apparently, it's what allowed Aya's witches to drag you to this chambre de chasse they created for me," Tristan explained.

"Perfect," Klaus began to look around analytically, "We find what represents us, we break free."

"You can certainly try, but until then, my Strix are preparing a spell that is like no other in history. We are going to sever the link which binds your lives to ours."

Elijah raised an eyebrow. "Are we, now? Our second rate-Napoleon, desperately trying to leave his mark on the world with those filthy little claws."

Klaus smirked. "Even if, in the end, he's left with nothing but the scars of his failures."

Tristan downplayed his annoyance by masking it with overbearing smugness. "Oh, rest assured, it will work. Soon, our fates will no longer be tied to yours."

"And," Aurora cut in, "once that's done, as your bodies remain helpless, and your minds remain here, Aya will use my white oak to fulfill the prophecy."

"So, you see... Today, you die. And, with your sirelines torn from you, you die alone," Tristan looked down at Aurora, "Until then, how shall we pass the time?"

Neither brother answered. They quickly sought to find the object that represented them in order to escape. While Elijah took one side of the room, Klaus was drawn towards a set of paintings on a wall. However, the further he went down, he noticed a large stand of katanas across. He was midway there when Aurora sped over and held one katana to his neck.

"Oh, dear. Perhaps I've gotten too close to that which represents me in here?"

Aurora sarcastically laughed. "Oh, you mean the swords? Hardly, darling. Though, between a sub-par piece of art and a broken relic, I suppose you'd have to choose the swords, wouldn't you? If only out of denial."

Unamused by her response, Klaus sped over and grabbed her arm to turn her around, now he being in control with the katana. "Maybe we can't hurt each other in here, but when I'm free, I'm going to cut you in half. Of course, I did promise Maleny she would get her share...I'll have to control myself then - for her."

Aurora's face went sour as Klaus indeed did control himself and backed off, letting the katana drop to the floor.

~ 0 ~

"No, he's not answering," Maleny angrily threw her phone across the living room, ignoring the startled looks from Stefan and Marlenie. "Dammit!"

"Mum, dial down the emotions please," Marlenie eyed her mother with a bit of a concern. Maleny was still trying to control her emotions and while she was making excellent progress, there were still moments where she would lose it.

But Maleny heard noises coming from outside, one significant person standing out above the three. With a light gasp, she sped out of the room.

"No - Mum!" Marlenie groaned and made way out of the room, but not before stopping to call to Stefan. "Feel free to, um...wait around, I guess?"

"Sit!" Hayley was angrily ordering someone while the third hurried over with blood bags in their hands. "And you Marcel, you better explain right now!"

"Hayley," Maleny called from upstairs, although she became shocked to find Lucien sitting in the courtyard, looking awful, and hurriedly drowning down blood bags, "what the hell is going on?"

"I'd rather we let Marcel explain that one to us," Hayley was busy glaring at Marcel with arms crossed. "After all, it was his group that kidnapped Klaus and Elijah."

"I had no idea that Aya was gonna take Klaus and Elijah down!" Marcel raised his arms in defense. "And regardless, why the hell are we trusting this guy all of a sudden, huh?" he gestured to Lucien. "He's the one who ran off with Aurora the first chance he got."

"I didn't run off with her," Lucien snapped back, and fast. "We happened to share something I didn't realize before."

"What would that be, hmm?" Maleny's voice made him look up. "Would that be the delight you both take in threatening me? Because I know what you said about me on Thanksgiving, Lucien."

"You're one to talk, sweetheart," Lucien persisted with his sour tone, his eyes narrowing on her, "2 weeks I cater to you - treat you like a bloody princess - yet at the end of the day you chose to go back to the man who turned you in for the psychopath that murdered you?"

Maleny swallowed hard, but before she could fall back on those words, Marlenie and Nicolas appeared on either side.

"You wanna act tough? Do it like a man then - face her for what you said," Marlenie challenged. "Because you can say what you want but my Dad has something you never seemed to - bravery."

"Marlenie," Maleny shushed her daughter.

"It's true, Mum," even Nicolas spoke up. "From what I've heard he was nothing but a poser. He was a-"

"Enough," Maleny spoke over them both then got to business. "What is going on? Where's Klaus and Elijah?"

"The Strix are about to de-link them, Mal," Hayley said.

"It's not just about de-siring…" Lucien shook his head, "We've got to stop an _execution_."

"What are you talking about?" Marcel stared down at him skeptically.

Lucien rolled his eyes. "A lovesick teenage witch with a runner-up heart is somehow going to break the sire link? I'm sorry, but your darling Davina is in over her head, and Aya knows this. She will let Davina de-sire both brothers, then test the spell's success by firing a white oak bullet into Klaus' heart. I mean, it's win-win for her- if you live, Marcel, we'll, she's won. If not, at least she's eliminated the rival sireline, including me."

Maleny's heart nearly stopped. "That's what the prophecy said would happen. Klaus would die and his entire sireline burn."

"Alexis watched us fall, she watched us burn, every soul Klaus ever turned," Lucien reaffirmed. "When Aya tests this spell, Klaus will fall either way. And, if Davina fails, as she likely will, the two of us will die as well," he glanced at Marcel.

"And me," Maleny said, instantly getting his attention. Still standing at the rails upstairs, he hadn't realized she turned. With eyes widened, he stared at her. She'd _turned_.

"Actually... make that the three of us," Stefan sheepishly walked out of the room upstairs to stand beside the three. Hayley looked up gaping for the presence of the young vampire.

~0~

Klaus had meant to leave Aurora to get some peace but the redhead wouldn't have it. She followed him to the chess piece table and plopped down across from her.

She picked up one of the white knight pieces and mused. "You know what, Nik? Maybe this is the piece that represents you in here. You do quite fancy yourself the white knight, don't you? You even carved one out of white oak when you were a boy."

Klaus frowned. "The one you turned into bullets to bury in my brother's heart but instead nearly killed my daughter with instead."

"Like I said, there's more than one way to hurt you. I do like seeing how hard you work to save the few who still care about you. There's Elijah, Maleny... Hmm. It's a pretty short list."

Klaus, now angry, leaned forwards on the table. "Mention her name again, and you'll regret it."

Aurora took the threat with amusement. "Ooh! The white knight, indeed. But, do you not also claim to be a king, darling? Oh yes, that's more fitting. And yet, the king is both the greatest and the weakest piece on the board. It flounders around once all its defenders desert it. Much like what will happen to you when that sire link breaks. Once the chains fall, they'll clamor for a piece of white oak to shove into your heart.

Oh... Wait, you don't actually think they fight for you because they love you, do you? They have to, Nik. You're their eternal burden."

While Klaus took her words with heavy blow, Aurora smugly slammed the white king piece on the table and got up.

~0~

After some time a blueprint for the Strix Davilla Estate was brought in by Marcel to study the building's entrances.

Stefan was kneeling before the table to have a closer look. "Could use one of these access tunnels to slip into a back room."

Lucien, who stood behind him, swayed his head. "Hmm."

Stefan scoffed. "What? Worried about getting a little dirt on your thousand-dollar shoes?"

Lucien frowned. "Actually, I'll be doing most of the heavy lifting, since the vampires we're facing are, what? Seven times your age?"

Marlenie strode in already rolling her eyes at the man. "Calm down, I'll be helping as well." She leaned down beside Stefan to get a look at what he was talking about. "You think we can use those?" she asked in a strikingly calm tone that made Stefan rethink if this was actually Klaus Mikaelson's daughter.

"Marcel, how are we doing?" Maleny asked the vampire sitting on the staircase, having just hung up from a call.

"We're not getting their bodies back," he shook his head. "Strix from all over the world are flying in to make sure this spell goes off. They're guarding every entrance and exit."

"Well, you're their leader. Call a meeting. Schedule a retreat," Lucien made a face. "Order them to stop."

"Nah, nah, nah, nah. I do that, Aya has no problem staging a coup."

Lucien sighed and looked away. "Marvelous. I guess it's on me to come up with our grand plan, then."

"No need," announced Nicolas who walked in with Freya and Hayley. "My Aunt Freya figured out a way to get my Dad and uncle out of the chambre. She just needs a strong enough power source."

"I'd channel Finn, but he's all for letting our brothers perish," Frets rolled her eyes, so unsurprised. "So, I'll channel Lucien. The older the vampire, the better the battery."

"We're going to buy her some time, keep the Strix occupied," Hayley further added.

Lucien scoffed and turned to Marcel. "Wait, so you want me here holding hands with the leftover sister while you take the toddlers and tackle the Strix? You must be jok-"

Nicolas heard enough and flicked his wrist to telekinetically snap Lucien's neck.

"Nicolas!" Maleny rushed over to the fallen man.

"Mother, you're too kind with this idiot," was his response.

"Aunt Freya, I could've done the channeling part, you know," Marlenie straightened up and turned to the blonde witch. "I'm nearly as old as Lucien."

"We know," Freya assured with a nod. "But we'd rather you help Hayley fight the Strix off. We can't really count on Lucien not skipping out."

"Wait," Marcel got off the stairs, "So the plan is that the four of us-" he pointed to Hayley, Marlenie and Stefan, "-are gonna keep one hundred of the world's most ancient vampires occupied?"

"Wait, I'm staying too?" Maleny left Lucien to protest. "No! Absolutely not!"

"Mother," Marlenie walked up to the blonde, "these vampires are far too strong and you...only have a couple of weeks of vampire life. The results could be catastrophic."

"You are asking me to stay behind while Klaus and Elijah are literally inches from death," Maleny looked at the others angrily.

"We'd rather you stay and keep an eye on Lucien," Hayley glanced at the unconscious vampire. "He seems to only value you in the room."

Maleny huffed and stormed away from the group. Marlenie looked at the others quite calmly. "I'd rather she be mad at me than hear my Dad lecture me. But I must admit I'm a little troubled on the way we're gonna do this. I could call in my friend staying outside the city to help. She's only a couple younger than me. Maybe my warlock can help too."

But Stefan had been thinking long before on an alternative and decided to speak up. "Well, there could be another way," he looked at Marcel, "All you have to do is get us to the front door."

~0~

As Marcel drove up to the Davilla Estate, he had Marlenie, Hayley and Stefan hiding out in the trunk of the car. Being a small trunk, the three vampires were a little cramped but nonetheless determined to make it work.

"Are we close yet?" Marlenie, who laid over both Stefan's and Hayley's legs, sighed impatiently.

"A few more minutes," Hayley assured her as she looked at her phone screen that currently showed their position on a GPS map. Marlenie groaned but quietly. Hayley made a face and mumbled something about definitely being Klaus' daughter. She swiped away the GPS app on her phone to reveal the second daughter.

"That's a cute kid," remarked Stefan.

"While I appreciate the compliment, I am not a kid," Marlenie smirked widely before chuckling to herself.

"I can see the resemblance between her and Klaus," Stefan now said to Hayley who was playfully rolling her eyes.

"Don't be fooled," Marlenie said before Hayley could speak up, "I am my own person. Have been for centuries. But no matter who I am I'll always fight for my family - have been doing so for centuries. It's kinda why I'm in a trunk with a stranger and a stepmum, going into a fight we may not win."

"Step-mum?" frowned Hayley.

"Fine, aunt, whatever," Marlenie dramatically sighed. "We can both agree we're also doing this for my baby sister Hope." Her dramatics ended quickly as she continued. "I know what that was like...growing up without parents...and I wouldn't want her to go through that. I won't even go into my mother's reasons. So," she laid eyes on Stefan, "what about you? You're part of my Dad's sireline too but you could've easily slipped out already. Why are you still here?"

Stefan chuckled quietly and took out his phone. He displayed a home screen of Caroline Forbes.

Hayley instantly recognized the woman and took the phone from Stefan to see it better. "Ahh, Caroline. Klaus had a thing for her."

" _What_?" Marlenie scowled. "My Dad _what_ now?"

Hayley laughed. "Calm down, drama queen." She then commented to Stefan. "I'm pretty sure that I snapped her neck once."

Stefan chuckled as he took back his phone. "Yeah, well... She's toughened up since. I don't think you'd win round two."

"And she's also in Klaus' sireline. Is she the reason why you're here?"

"In a trunk with two strangers, going into a fight we may not win? I guess we all have our reasons."

Marlenie huffed.

~0~

Lucien awoke with a tiny jump and discovered he had been moved into one of the living rooms, tied to a chair with vervain ropes. What he was surprised most was the fact he wasn't alone - Maleny stood leaning against a table with arms crossed, clearly having been waiting for him to wake up.

"Oh, so now you're tying me up?" he frowned. "And you're allowed to talk to me...on your own?"

Maleny wasn't amused by his sarcasm as she leaned off the table. "Lucien, we gotta talk."

"We do _do_?"

"Look, I was worried about you ever since-"

"You ran off with Klaus after _his_ ex - the woman that just so happened to have _murdered_ you?"

Maleny shook her head, doing her best not to get angry nor shout. If he had been tied up all this time by Aurora then he definitely had some venting to do. "It wasn't Klaus' fault she murdered me. She's deranged!"

"What you did was cold, utter cruelty if I should add," snapped Lucien. "Darling even I'm not on that level."

"You're no white dove either," quietly argued Maleny. "Admit to me, face to face, that you don't love _me_. As in Maleny Rowan. You loved _Cecilia de Arc_ , but she's a ghost now."

"You were her, and you loved me too," Lucien said, quite sure of it as well. "Klaus never once crossed your mind."

"Because my mind wasn't cleared yet. But now it is, and I know who I want and love. The man I've loved since I was a teenager, the one I had children with. That's who I love. And I'm sorry...but that's not you."

Lucien narrowed his eyes at her, his hands balling into fists.

"Mother," Nicolas appeared by the threshold, "Aunt Freya said she was ready."

"Ready for what?" Lucien snapped his head back to him.

Nicolas smirked. "You'll see in a bit."

"Nicolas," Maleny scolded. "Get your aunt right now." Muttering, Nicolas went on his way.

"What's going on?" demanded Lucien. "And you never answered why I was tied up."

Maleny turned her back to him and started moving around some of the herbs on the table. She grabbed a match and flicked it on, using it to light many candles in the room. "We're breaking whatever spell they out on Klaus and Elijah so please," she returned to him, kneeling to tighten the ropes on his wrists, " do not move."

"This is kinda dark," Lucien remarked, apparently amused by her. "Vervain ropes, penetrating spells... Throw in a Pinot and a cheap motel, and you've got the beginnings of a romance!"

Maleny sighed, straightening up. "Please, don't make those remarks about us."

"They weren't a problem before…"

"Before, it was just you and I. Things are different now so please be mature and move on."

"What? Like that?"

"What do you want from me? The most I can give you is an apology. Because what I did was wrong and I should never have let things go this far between us. That's it. I'm sorry."

Lucien's frown deepened. "You still love me. And I'll remind you of it first chance I get."

Maleny looked down and walked away from him. Around that moment, Nicolas and Freya returned holding several herbs and bowls for their spells. Nicolas right away saw his mother's deception.

"Mum?" He left Freya at the table and hurried to Maleny. "You alright?"

"Fine," Maleny warmly patted his cheek. "Now, how's this spell gonna work again?"

Though not clearly buying it, Nicolas dropped the subject. He took Maleny's hand and walked them back to Freya.

"There's an anchor locking Dad and uncle Elijah inside the chamber built for them, something representational. That's why they can't get out."

"But-" Freya turned around, "-I'm going to bust into that little mental prison and shatter it from the inside. And, it's going to take most of our power and probably all of yours," she eyed Lucien.

Lucien smirked. "Oh, love, my stamina's never been an issue. Ask Maleny."

Maleny went pale but Nicolas reacted with more or less the same rage his father would have if he'd been there. Maleny managed to grab his arm and pull him back to him.

"Nicolas! Please don't!"

Freya shook her head at them and turned to the table. "Nicolas, if you're done, I could use some extra power." Nicolas rolled his eyes and went up stand by Freya.

The moment the two began to chant, Lucien writhed in pain.

"Onlucan et permette mon ostium. Onlucan et permette mon ostium. Onlucan et permette mon ostium…"

Maleny flinched as a powerful gust of wind blew in the room. There was too much commotion to separate who was actually chanting or screaming in pain.  
"Dia a la vida!"

In the chamber, only Freya appeared as it was far more challenging to have two appear. She cut off what seemed to be like a verbal standoff between the two brothers and the De Martels.

"Quickly. Find me what represents you in here!"

But before anyone else could move, Klaus felt his throat being slashed. In the Davilla Estate, Davina a had slit Klaus' throat as part of the de-linking spell.

"Niklaus!" Elijah hurried to help the hybrid who was already failing to stay on his feet. But then Elijah underwent the same thing when Davina moved onto him.

Freya was horrified to see both her brothers clutching their throats as they coughed up blood. "Oh God. It's starting!" She rushed forwards and knelt on the floor in front of them. "I need you to focus!" she desperately called to them. "Show me what represents you so I can break you out."

"The...kings…" Klaus managed to say inbetween his struggles.

"The knights," added Elijah.

Freya listened and hurried towards the chess table, missing the smug looks of the De Martel siblings behind. She picked up the white knight and the black king but turned around, frowning. "Which is it? The kings or the knights? We need to decide now."

~ 0 ~

In the Davilla Estate, the spell was still undergoing, but most vampires of the Strix were being occupied by Rayna Cruz outside, courtesy of Stefan. Marlenie was horrified to see her father and uncle floating in a rectangular pool full of red-stained water. Witches, including Davina, had their eyes closed and were still chanting the de-linking spell. One Strix vampire guarding spotted the intruders and meant to come at them...but Marlenie growled and got to him first. Like her father would, she decapitated the vampire and whirled around angrily towards the witches. Marcel took care of the other guard in the room, but all the noise had been too loud and captured the attention of the sister witches.

Davina opened her eyes and looked at Marcel, visibly hurt he was going against her even after his promise earlier. "Marcel!"

"You bitch!" Marlenie insulted the younger witch. "Even after what my mother has done for you you _still_ go after my family!"

"Marlenie!" Hayley entered the room and looked at the two Mikaelsons in the water. "We need to get them out of that water now."

"No!" Davina, along with the other witches, conjured a spell that blasted the vampires unconscious, against the walls.

~ 0 ~

Aurora had a good laugh watching Freya decide which chess piece to destroy. "How perfect," she clapped her hands, "Even in this crucial hour, your ignorance blinds you." She made her way all the way up to Klaus, kneeling down in front of him. "Even if you never learn from your sins, at least you will die because of them... and I get to watch."

Klaus heeded her words and for the first time that night, he thought openly and clear of himself. "Take the queens," he called to Freya. "The women we betrayed represent us. Aurora, Aya…" and as much as it pained him the most, he added, "...Maleny."

Freya swiped the black queen off the piece and clutched it tightly with her hands as she performed the magic spell.

Elijah was the first to wake in the Davilla estate. Because they were still focused on chanting the spell, neither witches noticed it right away. Elijah vamp-sped to his feet inside the pool and grabbed the closest witch towards him. He easily plundered her into the water, drowning her within minutes while also feeding off her.

The other vampires against the Strix were recovering from the blow Davina gave them. Elijah finished with the witch and went for the next one. Marlenie rubbed her head and sat upright. She noticed Marcel pleading with Davina but the witch was still chanting the spell.

She thrust a hand for Klaus, sending a wave of energy from the spell towards him.

"Marcel, KILL HER NOW!" Marlenie screamed furiously, getting up to do the job herself if needed.

Davina had never been so scared in her life but she wasn't giving up. She looked between the older vampire woman and Marcel, the latter still resorting to verbally plead her to stop. Klaus woke up in the pool, and his rage was one to match his daughter. He leaped out of the pool, also going to attack Davina but she proved quicker in that moment and froze him midway.

"You've had your time!" she caused the lights in the room to explode into billions of sparks. Simultaneously, she pushed Klaus down into the pool with a large splash afterwards. The pain didn't stop there as she went on to finish the last of the spell.

Even Marlenie, who had sped up behind Davina was frozen to her spot feeling her body curse with unbearable pain. Her skin had turned bright red as if it were burning - like Marcel and even Stefan's were.

~ 0 ~

In the compound, Freya and Nicolas were witness to Lucien's and Maleny's skin also burning red.

"MOTHER!" Nicolas was absolutely terrified to see Maleny in her state. He turned to Freya for an explanation, even though he was fairly sure what was happening.

"Davina's breaking the link!" Freya exclaimed.

~ 0 ~

Davina finished the spell with two concentric circles making the pool water rise up in half-dozen geysers. With so much energy, Davina passed out after she managed to complete the spell. Although weak, Elijah managed to push himself towards the pool, clambering inside to retrieve his brother.

With near desiccated skin, Klaus re-opened his eyes. Elijah gently picked him up to at least sit mildly upright.

"I felt them leave," Klaus said quietly. "My sireline is broken."

~ 0 ~

Aya slowly walked into the now-empty pool room, dragging with her Rayna Cruz's dead body that would soon resuscitate. She let the body drop and looked around at the mess of the room. Not even the steps leading into the room snapped her out of her deception.

"So, we remain connected, you and I, in spite of everything that you have done," Elijah released a low breath. "I can't let you hurt my family. And you can't hurt me more than you already have."

Aya slowly turned around to face him, seeming incredulous of his accusation. "I stood by you, Elijah. All of us-" she gestured to the room still containing several dead Strix members, "-were willing to die for you, and how did you repay it? Betrayal. Abandonment." She then gave a crooked smile. "Much like you did to an old member here - blonde, a bit small...ring a bell?" Elijah stiffened, clearly taken aback by this knowledge. Aya bitterly chuckled. "Think I didn't notice? I pity her, actually, because she went through the same that I did long ago. That's why I urged Tristan to invite her, actually, because I knew all about her. What you did to me, you did to her, only she had the courage to leave you out of her own accord...something that I wish I could have done myself."

Elijah, while affected by her words and revelation, didn't let this take him from his original intent. He pulled out a revolver attained from Aurora, still holding white oak bullets.

Aya didn't look remotely afraid of what came next. In fact, she looked resigned and ready. "If your life were chained to a man who left you despite your devotion... What choice would you have but to break free? Ironic how that turned out both in the past and future, isn't it? Just end it already." Elijah struggled, however, to pull the trigger, only frustrating her more. "End it, Elijah! Or I'll take that gun and kill you just to finally be free."

But despite Elijah not being able to do so, he found someone else did it for him. A stake had been driven through Aya's chest, Hayley standing right behind her.

"That's more mercy than Jackson ever got," she muttered as Aya went down. Hayley dusted her hands off and stepped over the corpse to go for Elijah. "And you better do me the damn favor to never consider Aya and Cami were the same...or I'll drive the next stake through _your_ heart."

~ 0 ~

When Aurora snapped open her eyes, she gasped to find herself sitting in a corner of a large tomb. Immediately she spotted the only source of light ahead of her - which was already halfway out due to it being blocked off by a brick wall currently being constructed.

"Good day to you," Maleny cheerfully greeted as Klaus put down another brick around the doorway. "Well, really I suppose it would depend on who you were - for me it's a glorious day."

Aurora was instantly furious to see the blond smiling so smugly. She raced towards Maleny only to crash into an invisible barrier. Growling, she tried pushing through with no success.

"I love our son, don't you?" Klaus asked Maleny, looking ever-so-amused.

"I do," Maleny nodded and picked up a paving tool behind them. As he placed another brick on the constructed wall, she flattened the grout for the next.

"Ohh... What are you doing?" Aurora was now examining the wall frantically.

"You like? It was my idea," Maleny proudly said. "See, originally I thought killing you was gonna be the better way...but I learned a thing or two from Klaus. Death is far too easy sometimes."

"You learned fast," Klaus mused with a little smirk.

"You're a good teacher," she returned the smirk.

"You can't just leave me here!" Aurora exclaimed, slamming her hands on either side of the doorway.

Maleny's playfulness vanished into thin air, as did Klaus'. "You nearly killed my children. You killed _me_. Did you think you were gonna get away with it?"

"But you can't!"

"Behind walls is where you belong," Klaus coldly said, slamming the next brick along the wall.

"Then just kill me! Please, Nik! Just kill me!"

"Oh, I think not," Klaus said after a moment of feigned thought. "Not with the only one who loves you rotting at the bottom of the ocean. I wouldn't grant you the mercy. You owe my family far too much."

"Mmm, so let's let the fishes eat your brother in ocean-" Maleny helped Klaus begin to finish the last of the bricks, "-and the worms eat _you_ …"

Aurora quickly teared up as her fate was literally sealed before her. "No…"

"Remember who it was that took absolutely everything from you," Klaus set in the last of the bricks on the wall. Aurora burst into sobs on the other side.

"Hmm, music to my ears," Maleny took in a dramatic breath as Klaus took her hand.

"Content?" he asked of her, despite feeling weaker than ever he took pleasure seeing her relish in this moment.

"Oh very," she leaned on her toes to give him a kiss on the lips. Afterwards, the two walked away from the tomb and found Stefan waiting for them.

"So...the spell worked," he began awkwardly, even coughing lightly. "We survived. I saved you, and you saved me. Funny how that works, isn't it? I'd be happy to let this be the end. Am I too optimistic in thinking we'll never see each other again?"

"This is a weird friendship," Maleny mumbled.

Klaus rolled his eyes beside her and answered Stefan with a question instead. "Well, that depends- are you going to do the right thing?"

"By whom? I assume you don't mean my brother."

"By her."

Stefan sighed. "I love her. I know that you did once, too. I promise I will only do right by her."

Maleny gave a look for Klaus, assuming who they were talking to. She didn't say but a cordial 'goodbye' to Stefan as he said it back for them.

Now slightly irritated, Maleny led Klaus back to where Freya waited for them. Before they fully reached her, Klaus had a small dizzy moment and had to lean against a nearby tomb wall for support.

"What's wrong with me?"

"You hemorrhaged an enormous amount of mystical energy. Enough to create a nexus vorti. It's nothing a good night's rest won't cure," Freya assured and between her and Maleny they helped him continue walking.

~ 0 ~

Hayley walked into the downstairs living room where Elijah was having himself a drink. Night had fallen and Hayley was keen on observing Elijah that day, the latter barely saying a word to anyone. She wasn't one to waste time in words, so she went straight for the Original and snatched the near empty glass in his hand. Elijah made a gesture of what was she doing but she set the glass on the other end of the counter and put her hands on her hips.

"Why the hell are you here and not looking for Cami? She leaves in an hour."

Elijah raised his eyebrows questioningly. "How did you…?" because even he didn't know about Cami since yesterday.

"I asked, Elijah," Hayley rolled her eyes impatiently. "I went to say goodbye and what do you know? She's still not even packed. Meaning, she doesn't want to go - further meaning, you need to go stop her."

Elijah made a face and then shook his head, getting up from the stool. "You are mad, and that is saying something after these past days."

"You'll be mad with yourself if you don't listen to me and you know it. Look, as much as it pains me to say it, Aya was right about something last night. You are quick to leave a woman behind if it's for your family. That's gotta stop."

"But I-"

"No, Elijah, listen, please," Hayley raised a hand and then continued. "You fought Cami for Hope and I, for this family, and it had a bigger price than you could have ever imagined. And you did it for Klaus, on countless times. The reality is, Elijah, that this family has their own priorities. Mine is Hope, and only her. Freya has her pseudo-son Nicolas, and Klaus has Maleny and his children. It's about high time you gave yourself a break and focused on the woman _you_ love."

"I don't think-"

"Because the reality is-" Hayley fervently went on to finish, "-we will all protect our loved ones, and it's not fair you keep focusing on us instead of yourself. So go," she shooed him with a hand, "Go and get her."

"Hayley-"

"Elijah, I will drive a stake through your heart if you don't go right now," Hayley warned, crossing her arms. After a moment, he flashed a small - thankful - smile her way. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

True to what Hayley had said, Elijah found Cami was still at home. He didn't bother knocking anymore, simply walking in.

Camille was walking out of the kitchen holding several blood bags in her arms when she saw him. "What the hell - Elijah!"

"Don't leave," Elijah blurted right out, startling her in the process. He had heeded Hayley's warning and realized he didn't want to let the story repeat itself with Cami.

"You can't ask me that," Cami shook her head, but her face spelled indecision from a mile off. It was true she had been sitting at home debating whether or not she was actually going to leave. With Hayley's visit and hearing about the Strix nearly murdering Elijah, Cami admitted she was definitely more swayed to stay. But she wasn't willing to tell Hayley at that moment.

"I'm not," Elijah stepped forwards, more determined than ever, "I'm begging you not to go. You've been right, I've been far too focused on my family for centuries - it's become embedded in me as a natural instinct. But I don't want it anymore. Because I want _you_."

Cami sucked in a breath and didn't dare move from her spot.

"You can't trust me right away, and I understand, because I failed you," Elijah went on, knowing this was his moment. "But give me the chance to start putting things right. Everyone has their...person...they want to live for. I want to have mine as well."

"It's just…" Cami sighed, closing her eyes a moment, "...you say I'm part of your family but when it comes down to it, you never choose _me_. I don't wanna be selfish, but I want my place. I deserve a _place_."

"Yes, you do," Elijah agreed with a nod of his head. "And I _will_ give you one if you let me."

Cami looked indecisive as ever. Elijah didn't want to wait, and so he walked up to her, testing if he was wanted by touching her arms. The look on her face challenged him but not to let her go. He gently took the blood bags from her hands and placed them on the table, all in the meanwhile she watched expectantly. Completely facing her, he put an arm around her waist and brought her closer to him.

She didn't protest.

He cupped her face and with his thumbs stroked her cheeks.

Still she didn't protest.

He finally just leaned in and kissed her.

And she didn't protest.

~ 0 ~

Klaus stirred from his sleep and immediately realized he was lying on his own bed. He turned his head to the side hoping to see one particular blonde woman but found it was empty. He heard noises from the connected bathroom and pushed himself upright to see Maleny emerging from the room with her day clothes hanging on one arm. She was changed into a long-sleeved shirt and velvet pants.

"What time is it?" Klaus asked, his voice a bit raspy from his sleep.

Maleny went to drape her clothes on one chair, distractedly answering, "About ten p.m. You've been asleep for an entire day."

"Well-"

"Freya said not to worry about it," Maleny moved on to the dressing table where her phone was charging. "It was due to the blow you took from Davina."

Klaus narrowed his already sleepy eyes on the woman, watching her intently. "Are you mad?"

"Nope," Maleny swiped something on her phone screen.

"Oh, good to see you're not mad," Klaus mumbled under his breath before deciding to get out of bed.

Maleny put her phone down and turned around. "You can't get out of bed!" came her concerned voice as she rushed over to make sure he stayed put. A small smile wormed its way across his face as she forced him to lay back down. "Please wipe that smile off your face."

"What's the matter, Mal?" he reached to touch her face.

"It's...nothing," she decided to say after a small pause.

"I may be weak but I am one to keep persisting," he warned. "So please, just tell me what's going on? I thought you would be happy to put away Aurora forever. Is that not what you wanted?"

"Oh, definitely," she quickly nodded. "But…" she sighed and took a seat beside him, "...I have to ask...about Stefan…"

"What about him?"

"It's not precisely about him, if not more about who he's _with_ ," she clarified, giving him a significant look. "Her name was Caroline. And you've yet to tell me about her."

"Well there's nothing to tell anymore," he shrugged, finding this all a waste of time. But he knew better than to say that in front of Maleny.

"But it's not the first time I heard her name, and you acting differently. Remember when those two aliens showed up in the Quarter? One of them, Minerva, said something about this Caroline too. She was important to you and...after this Aurora spectacle, I'm a bit entitled to feeling a little worried about more women you apparently loved. I don't want anymore showing up to claim you."

Klaus just couldn't help that signature smirk settling across his face. "While I am mildly amused to hear this, I must assure you - for the millionth time - that I care only for _you_."

"Then why is there so much importance on this stupid blonde - because yeah," Maleny was scowling, "I've seen her pictures now and I know she's blonde too."

"Yes she is, but she's not Maleny. She's not my _Mal_. I need my Mal and my family, now more than ever."

Maleny softened and leaned to his side, cupping his face. "You don't usually say things like that…"

"You've always been my exception," Klaus smiled mischievously, "For _everything_." He tapped her nose, making her smile. "Since we were teenagers, and you know it. You are my past, my present, and my future. Always and forever?"

"Always and forever," Maleny nodded her head. She lowered down and shared a kiss with him, one that left her feeling secure from her doubts.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

This chapter was a wild one! But, it was definitely one of my favorites. We finally get Cami/Elijah together - agh those two just loved to make us suffer lmao.

As there is no comments for the last chapter this is pretty much it from me lol. See you guys in two weeks!


	12. Goodbyes

Marlenie gave a light knock on the opened bedroom door of her parents before poking her head inside. "Uncle Elijah sent me in for you both considering it's been nearly an hour since you said you'd be 'right back'."

"Ask your father why we're still here," Maleny huffed from her spot on a chair, arms and legs crossed. She had narrowed her eyes on Klaus who stood across her, pretty much matching her irritated demeanor.

Marlenie looked between them silently for a minute before deducting, "I just walked into something pretty bad haven't I?"

"Something _stupid_ ," snapped Maleny who inadvertently told that one to Klaus as well.

"If it had been 'stupid' then I fail to see why you didn't just tell me in the first place," he pointed out.

"What's going on?" Marlenie asked, mildly curious of what was now making her parents argue.

"He found out Lucien was back," Maleny replied.

"Ah," Marlenie popped her lips before turning to her father. "Don't worry, Nick and I already put that one into his place."

"Still would have liked to know the moment we were free," Klaus looked at Maleny, currently feeling his insides burning with rage. It did not help to picture Lucien under the same roof with Maleny for hours.

"You were asleep for a full day and then when you were awake you weren't exactly in all your senses!" Maleny exclaimed. "Besides, what does it matter anymore? I made things perfectly clear about who I wanted."

"The problem is Dad is super-uber jealous," Marlenie calmly said while looking at her nails.

Klaus sent her a look of utter fury of her imprudence. "OUT!"

Marlenie dropped her hand and made a small growl. "Fine," she spat and turned to leave. On her way out she deliberately slammed the door.

Maleny shook her head. "Was that necessary?"

"The girl has -"

"She's your daughter, that should explain everything."

"Maleny, I am not joking here!"

"And neither am I!" Maleny returned the exclaim. She walked up to him, letting her anger go as she spoke calmer than before. She knew that he wasn't exactly _angry_ but instead afraid and jealous. "I swear I left everything crystal clear for Lucien. I told him I wanted you and only _you_."

"I've no doubt you made your case," clarified Klaus, "What annoys me is Lucien's lack of understanding."

"But he hasn't made such move to prove that he didn't understand," Maleny pointed out. "It's been 3 days and he hasn't even stopped by. So-" she draped one arm over his shoulder while letting her other hand rest on his chest, "-can we please move on from this ridiculous fight about my biggest downgrade ever?"

Those last words seemed to please Klaus judging by the wide smirk spreading across his face. "Downgrade?"

Maleny knew well how to continue this shift of attitude. "Isn't it obvious already? Lucien is a fine man but...you are something else my dear. Someone much, _much_ better."

It all seemed to work as Klaus took her words with pleasure. He raised one hand to stroke her cheek before bringing her to his lips for a passionate kiss. It was just a reminder from his part that _he_ was what she needed.

~0~

In the town square, the two Mikaelson twins sat on a bench, side by side, each doing their respective tasks (they'd assigned them selves). Marlenie's eyes were sweeping over the square, looking (and hearing) for a specific person.

"She has to be here, she has to come," Marlenie said over and over. "Nick, do you see her?" but her brother never responded. "Nick?" her straight, black hair whipped as she glanced at Nicolas. "Nick! What are you doing?" her eyes narrowed in confusion on the book her brother was currently reading.

"Unlike you, baby sister, instead of trying to murder someone pointless at the moment, I am trying to find the solution to our problems," Nicolas had responded so calmly that it just irritated Marlenie even more.

" _Pointless_?" she repeated, incredulous.

Nicolas was not bothered by his sister's look. He passed the page of his book which, if Marlenie bothered to give a closer look, wasn't a book at all. It was journal.

"That girl is the reason why our father now has to be on red alert from any vampire!"

"Let's be honest, Marls, our father was never short of an enemy before Davina Claire."

"This is not a joke!" Marlenie slammed Nicolas' journal shut, barely missing his fingers. "Before Davina, Dad could at least rely that no one of his sire line would turn on him.

"Very true," Nicolas said, still annoyingly calm for Marlenie, as he re-opened his journal. He tried finding the page he'd left on. "But I do feel the need to remind you that this girl has Marcel Gerard protecting her." Marlenie snorted, clearly unperturbed. "Not to mention that I'm pretty sure Mum would ground you for the rest of eternity for killing her friend."

" _Friend_?" Marlenie shot him a look. "That girl is _not_ our mother's friend."

"Maybe not 'friend' like Amarrah, but I'm sure Mum still has some affection for Davina. Apparently, the girl helped her a lot when Mum first arrived at the Quarter. Believe me, Marls, killing Davina isn't going to bring us any good."

Marlenie huffed and crossed her arms, leaning back on the bench. She went back to searching for Davina. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "What are you reading anyways?"

"Notes, actually. They're my personal notes on the collection of history I gathered from all the grimoires and history of the Quarter and the Algiers."

Marlenie was lost. "And _why_ did you do all that?"

"Because-" Nicolas raised his head with a smile on the verge of becoming smug, "-unlike you who's so impulsive, I _plan_ before I act."

Marlenie's eyes narrowed on him. "I want to smack you."

Nicolas returned to the journal. "I've always wanted to hear that from my sister."

Marlenie rolled her eyes and shifted on the bench. "What are you doing all that for? For real?"

"Well, I figured there had to be some points we could use for our advantage in all this," Nicolas shrugged and passed a page of the journal. "For example, I collected that the O'Connells have been in possession of many dark objects for almost a whole century - that's how far their records go. In another part I saw that there are plenty of powerful witch bloodlines over in the Algiers."

"Bloodlines that I know won't help us," Marlenie muttered.

"Maybe with the right words they would," Nicolas smirked. "But for now it's all about drawing a plan, drawing useful points-"

"In other words boring," Marlenie ceased her questioning there and returned, instead, to her own mission.

~0~

"Where do you think you're going?"

Maleny reached for her cellphone off the bedside table and stuffed it into her jean's pocket. "I'm going out, clearly," she turned around to see Klaus standing at the doorway with a look that told her 'absolutely not'.

"Where to?"

"Honestly, I want to get some practice at St. Ann's," she stuck her hands in her back pockets, intending on explaining herself when Klaus spoke up.

"You're worried about fighting…"

"Aren't you?" she countered calmly. "I mean, we just had a good long discussion with Freya and Elijah about the white oak stake. You don't think it's gone, therefore leaving an open door for your enemies. You're paranoid, and I'm a bit scared. Scared and fighting is not a good combination. Hayley left that pretty clear."

"Avoid fighting by staying here then," Klaus walked towards her, unable to hide his own concern for her safety. "They'll come for me, one way or another, and I would rather you stay here-"

"I can't stay here forever, and I don't plan to," Maleny shook her head. "I wanna pull my weight and not watch you and our family fighting alone. I'm going."

"No you are not-"

"Yes I am. And if you wanna feel better, come with me so you can make sure that I am safe," she smiled warmly. "Although I do expect a berry pie afterwards."

"Maleny…"

"Are you turning me down, Klaus Mikaelson?"

"No, _ma'am_ ," Klaus went along with her game in the end. It was clear she wasn't going to heed his warnings anytime soon so he was going to have to accompany her.

Maleny beamed at her easy win. "Great! Then let's go! And none of your broodiness!"

"Broodiness? When do I brood-"

Maleny didn't even wait for him to finish his sarcastic question. She pulled him towards the doors, really determined to get some training today. Getting him out of the compound wasn't difficult, getting him to _focus_ was.

"Will you please stop looking around like we're being watched?" Maleny sighed for the tenth time while Klaus continuously looked from one street to another, one person to the next. They'd been walking several streets now and with little to no conversation.

"I don't understand how you're calm," Klaus nearly sounded like he was scolding her. She looked perfectly content like nothing was happening.

"You taught me to never show my fear of the enemy," Maleny surprised him with that answer. He looked at her like he couldn't believe she had just said those words. "It's a weakness they can use against you."

"...so you _do_ listen," his gape was partially sarcastic.

She playfully rolled her eyes at him and whacked him on the arm. "I know things are bad - _very_ bad - but you can't go showing it to the Quarter."

"Everyone knows where to find me now - that's how Marlenie came to us don't you remember?"

Maleny looked up at him with understanding. She knew Klaus wasn't used to so much disadvantage and she wished she could do something to make him stop feeling the way he was. "You're worried they're gonna come after you…"

"Time was the Originals were withdrawn from the world, but things changed and now our location is as public as can be," Klaus made a gesture to the current bustling street before them.

"Okay, but...even if they came to kill you, they still couldn't do it without the white oak stake and-" Maleny did a little stop as she stopped walking and turned to him, "-that is _all_ gone, remember? You've ransacked Aya's belongings, torched Aurora's hunting ground, and obliterated every last splinter of the white oak. This default of paranoia should stop."

" _Default_?" Klaus made a face, looking offended.

"You know I'm right," Maleny shrugged.

"I can't exactly prove that _all_ of the white oak stake is gone-"

"But you can't live with this fear when it could very well be irrelevant-"

"I can't help it, Maleny!" Klaus unexpectedly rose his voice due to his frustration of the situation. Maleny showed now signs of anger, she just let him continue and vent. "I despise feeling so helpless! A few decades ago, in the midst of his incessant pursuit of me, Mikael disappeared without a trace. No witch could locate him. Of course I lived as though he lurked around every corner, until one day, I, too, disappeared. Just cut all ties and vanished."

"This is when you and Elijah were, um...estranged?" Maleny recalled such period as told by Rebekah.

"That's an understatement," Klaus sighed. "But yes."

"You...don't want to do that again, right?" Maleny asked, the hint of her fear of the idea was laced in her words.

"No," Klaus sighed yet again, looking at her softly, "I have more to lose now." Maleny instantly smiled and just as Klaus was about give her a kiss he spotted a figure standing across the street from them. It was a man, and the smuggish smile on his face reminded Klaus he could not afford distractions.

Confused, Maleny glanced back but, because she didn't know the man, she missed him. "What are you looking at…?"

After a couple cars passed by, the mysterious man was gone. Two seconds later, Klaus had taken Maleny with him back to the compound. Somewhere in-between, he had her call their missing twins.

~ 0 ~

"It was him. It was Gaspar Cortez!" Klaus was pacing back and forth in the study room, explaining to Maleny, Elijah and Freya of what he saw in the street.

"I assume this is someone from your box of letters?" Freya referred to the collection of letters Klaus had attained with each enemy he'd taken down throughout the course of history.

Klaus disregarded her question as he continued to explain. "The youngest son of a particularly vile family of warlords I dealt with in the 17th century."

"Didn't they burn that philistine pigsty into the ground?" inquired Elijah, instigating Klaus to stop and scoff at him.

"Pigsty? Belaga was my favorite artist retreat! Someone had to pay for that, so I murdered Gaspar's brute of a father."

Maleny gaped. "You what-"

"Wait for it," Freya narrowed her eyes on her younger brother.

Klaus rolled his eyes and added, "And...one or two…"

Maleny's mouth was slowly forming a little 'o' in shock. Meanwhile, Elijah had closed his eyes in annoyance as he recalled that event.

" _Five_ -" he interjected.

"Five of his bloodthirsty brothers!" Klaus amended, but Elijah wasn't done.

"Don't forget the mistress-"

Klaus was quick to clarify that incident. " _That_ was an _accident_!"

"Oh, well, as long as that one was an accident," Maleny sarcastically cut in, tilting her head at him. "You were awful."

"Took you only 21 centuries to figure that out," Elijah couldn't help smirk.

"And 'are'?" Freya glanced at Maleny, amused. "Really?"

"You are missing the point here!" Klaus was careful not to direct his shout at Maleny. "Gaspar is a cunning deviant, known to compel hoards of the helpless to aid him with his tasks. You see, this is exactly what I was concerned about. Devils of all kinds, crawling out of their crevices to strike at me." But in that moment he heard familiar murmurs nearing the compound. "Speaking of which…" He spead out of the room leaving the others to quickly wonder what it was he heard.

Davina had barely made it halfway into the courtyard when Klaus attacked her and pinned her against the wall. "Rather foolish of you to come here alone."

Davina appeared to be mildly afraid and when Kol - in his original vampire body - appeared and threw Klaus across, it was clear why she even came in the first place.

"She didn't come alone, brother," Kol meant to sound as a warning but didn't account for the new niece and nephew.

Marlenie super-sped into the courtyard and threw Davina to the ground, placing one pointy heel over the witch's stomach. "And my father's not alone either," she directed her icy blue eyes on the confused Kol. "Nice to finally meet you, uncle Kol. My mother always said I reminded her of you sometimes."

"What the…" Kol barely had time to register this when the others came out of the room from upstairs.

"Marlenie!" came the shout of Maleny who immediately saw the position Davina was in. "You take your heel off that girl right now!"

"No can do, mother," Marlenie glared down at the teen, "I hate this girl and I want her dead. Preferably now."

"Marlenie!" Nicolas came running inside from the street, out of breath. They had been walking calmly after their mother had told them to report to the compound but when they were nearly there Marlenie had suddenly paused then sped off without saying a word. Now he understood why - she'd finally found Davina Claire.

"Blah, blah, blah, I'm doing it," Marlenie declared but her brother was quick to act with a small anyeurism.

"Ah! Nick, what the hell!?" she clutched her head and stumbled away from Davina who was quickly taken by Kol.

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!" Maleny shouted from upstairs, angrily looking down at them all. "Marlenie you're gonna stay away from Davina, Davina you'll kindly stay away from my children and preferrably myself, and Kol -" she paused to look at the young Original, softening, "-how the hell are you back?"

"Can always count on Mal to get to the point, hm?" Kol gave a hint of a smirk.

"When I broke your sire link, it created a surge of power," Davina briefly explained for everyone's benefit.

"You stole the nexus vorti," Freya realized fast and frowned at her.

"And brought your brother back from the dead!" Davina felt the need to remind them of the monumental deed she had done.

"That doesn't erase what you did to this family," Marlenie coldly said, now standing by her brother and a decent distance from Davina.

"Who are they?" Kol gave up on trying to understand. He pointed at Marlenie, "And why does that one have the rage only my dear old brother Nik can have...as well as the mouth only Maleny can have-"

" _Hey_ ," the blonde, offended, called. She sped downstairs to stand in front of Kol. Smiling greatly, she threw her arms around his neck. "Kol, it's good to see you - the real you - back!"

"Nice to see you back as well," Kol pulled away, eyeing her for a moment, clearly detecting something had changed with her since the last time they'd seen each other. "Here to stay?"

Maleny laughed. "Oh _definitely_!"

By this point, Klaus, Elijah and Freya had gathered together and when Kol turned to them he had to admit to himself he was a little nervous of how he would be greeted. However, he was utterly shocked to be greeted with a big hug from Klaus first.

Afterwards, he moved onto Elijah. "Hello, Elijah…"

"You haven't aged a day," Elijah remarked, lightly smiling his way.

Kol took that as acceptance and glanced at Freya, whom he still didn't quite recognize. "And you...?"

"Freya," she greeted him.

"Right. Long-lost older sister…" Kol pointed at her like he'd gotten it then. Lastly, he looked at the twins standing behind Maleny. "Big mouth-" he barely made a gesture towards Marlenie when the vampire snapped.

"If you call me that one more time I'll _stab you_ in the heart."

"This is your niece and nephew, Kol," Maleny explained shortly. "Marlenie-" she gestured to the black-haired woman, "-and Nicolas," she gestured to the warlock who seemed far more calm than his sister.

"I'd ask how but I'm not sure I'd understand completely," Kol glanced back at Klaus with eyebrows raised, "But, uh, congratulations?"

"I'd hold off on that word," Maleny mumbled under her breath but earned a 'hey!' from her children anyways.

"Speaking of twists and turns in our family tree, where might Rebekah be?" Kol looked around for the missing sibling.

"That's a long story. And one reserved for family," Klaus answered coldly...as did Marlenie a few seconds later.

"Meaning you can skip on out of here, Davina," she glared at the witch.

"Uh, are you-"

"As per usual, our family faces a multitude of threats. The sooner you become acquainted with them, the better," Klaus made a gesture for Kol to follow.

Kol wasn't one to easily let go of all that towards his new girlfriend, but when he tried making a defese for her, Davina spoke up. "Kol. It's okay. I'll go."

Kol untangled himself from his brother to go back to the girl. "Davina…"

"You can make it up to me."

"And I will. Dust off that fancy dress, 'cause tonight we're going dancing."

Davina beamed at the idea. "Okay."

The two shared a kiss goodbye, surprising the others, but not that they cared. As Davina was leaving, Nicolas offered to walk her home - much to Marlenie's rage. He had a feeling that Marlenie would not hesitate to attack Davina if the circumstances were right.

"You have to understand your situation is not so safe anymore," Nicolas ignored his sister's burning eyes on him as he explained to both Davina and Kol. "My sister can be subdued not by many…"

"He's right," Maleny stood by him in the idea, looking at Kol. "And you can trust my son, before you say anything."

Davina made a face but realized that she wouldn't mind getting more help during this time. Besides, Nicolas didn't seem to be a...bitch, like his sister. "Fine," she said in the end and gestured for them to go. She didn't want to be in the compound another minute.

"Be careful," Kol warned her before she left.

"That can't be right…" Maleny was the first to speak after Davina had left. Kol turned to his family with a questioning look. "...Kol has a _heart_."

Kol's look turned sarcastically annoyed but ended up smiling in the end. It wasn't difficult filling Kol in on the current situation of the family. He wasn't even remotely surprised. In fact, he was more impatient than anything else.

"So, do you miss being dead then?" Maleny inquired as Kol read several of the letters Klaus had collected in the past. "I mean, now that you're alive you sorta have to help us out." Kol's response was a playful roll of eyes.

Klaus came into the room holding a goblet of fresh blood. "Here. I compelled the housekeeper."

Kol's eyes visibly widened at the sight of blood, but for some reason he was deferring in taking it. Klaus saw this as well and purposely waved the goblet in front of Kol's face invitingly...until Kol finally took it.

"Next time, a blood bag will be fine. I'm meant to be off the fresh stuff."

"Is Davina making you do this?" Maleny tilted her head, eyes squinting as she thought. "Because that's incredibly wrong."

Kol scoffed. "I think your definition on the word 'wrong' has taken a different meaning, Mal."

"You know I love Davina - I truly do - but she tends to be sort of a...how do you say?"

"A _hypocrite_ , mother," Marlenie walked into the room, intending on delivering a message but was sidetracked by the comment Maleny had been making. "She is a hypocrite. She strives to do what she wants claiming to be in the right while putting people in danger." In all that meantime she had come to take a seat beside Maleny while sending a sort of challenging look at Kol. "Or am I wrong?"

"Is there something you needed, Marls?" Klaus raised one eyebrow at his daughter, preferring to keep the family arguments to a minimum for the moment.

"Yes, uncle Elijah told me to tell you he was stepping out for a moment."

"Where to?" Maleny asked.

"Don't know," Marlenie shrugged. "Didn't say."

"Right, well, thank you, now step out yourself please," Klaus surprised her as well, even gesturing for her to get a move on.

Marlenie threw a dirty look towards Kol before getting up and marching out.

"Nice daughter," Kol cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Oh don't mistake that as me not siding with her," Klaus turned to his younger brother, now dead serious. "Because I so do side with her. But that right now is not the problem."

"Right, you're after this Cortez right?"

"His family decimated Belaga."

Kol snorted a laugh. "Ugh! Belaga. That place was hideous."

"No taste," Klaus angrily pointed and walked to where Maleny sat, the latter struggling not to laugh.

"All right, calm down," Kol got up with raised hands. "I know exactly how to find your enemies, as long as our new sister doesn't chafe at me for teaching her a quick spell." He grabbed some of the letters. "Mind if I burn these?"

~ 0 ~

"Thank you for coming out of the compound for a bit, Elijah, it was important," Cami said while walking down a street with Elijah.

"I did say I was going to give you your place…" Elijah reminded and the two shared a smile.

"Well, um...it's about Hayley. I think she's into some bad stuff right now."

"How so?"

"I bumped into her, and she had a bit of blood on her forehead," Cami mimicked the blood spot on her face. "And I know she says she's with the Crescents because of Jackson but I just talked to Marcel and he says the Strix have been losing members."

Elijah suddenly stopped, wheels turning in his mind as he fit the puzzles Cami was presenting to him.

Cami turned to him, now speaking lowly. "I get that Hayley is mad - I mean we all are - but she's entering dangerous territory. Marcel is being pressured to bring in the head of whoever is killing his members."

"I will speak to Hayley, trust me," Elijah resolved at the time.

~ 0 ~

In the lounge room, Kol had helped Freya set up a table with a map of the world that contained several pins on it. Currently Kol was burning the letters of Klaus while the rest watched anxiously.

"Mixing the ashes of these letters with your blood, Nik, will show us where your enemies are," Kol explained then proceeded to crush the ash of the letters with a mortar and pestle. He gestured for Freya to hand him a gold goblet that was full of Klaus' blood. He sprinkled the ashes into the goblet and returned it to Freya. Kol pulled out a written spell and handed it to her. "With feeling now," he sort of warned.

Freya laughed and took the spell. She studied it for a moment then took a deep breath and began. "Calaste piso tal tras es tros. Calaste piso tal tras es tros…" As she chanted, the poured blood broke into eleven small lines that moved in different directions on the map. The others neared the table and watched the blood lines move until they completely stopped. "Behold your greatest hits, Klaus," gestured Freya. "All over the world. But only one is here. Which means the legion of enemies you were worried about is an army of one."

Kol looked closer at the map and pointed at the most significantly close enemy. "I assure you, this is your Gaspar Cortez."

The chance to remark never came up as Klaus had felt his phone vibrate. It was interesting text from his son, Nicolas, who had written 'Problem. Rousseau's." He was beginning to wonder who gave more problems between the family and his children.

~ 0 ~

To say finding Hayley about to murder yet another Strix vampire was surprising would be a blatant lie. What was surprising was the gruesomeness in her demeanor as she swung an ax, preparing to strike the vampire bound to a chair.

"Hayley!" Elijah gave an appalled shout at her, momentarily freezing her in her spot. "What do you think you're doing?"

Beside him stood Cami who was equally disturbed by the sight. Hayley glared at them both and went ahead and decapitated the Strix vampire.

~ 0 ~

Vincent was also not having quite the best day as he was being forced by Cortez to perform a locator spell for the remainder of the white oak which had been proven to still be around. He was running into problems as the Ancestors refused to help.

Meanwhile, Nicolas, who'd been knocked out for sending the text, was beginning to stir awake. First thing he saw was Vincent bleeding from the eyes, practically pouring from his strength. He hated his bad luck. He'd been coming back from leaving Davina when he spotted Vincent coming into Rousseau's, and remembering his notes, Nicolas endeavored to have a word with Vincent...only to come across Cortez first.

"You're not gonna get what you want if he's dead," he called to Cortez as he pulled himself up to his feet, using the bar counter as a support.

"Shut up," snapped the infamous man. "Vincent, I grow impatient. Where is the white oak?"

Vincent began convulsing until he collapsed from his chair onto the floor. Nicolas stumbled but he got his way to the other warlock to check on him. "Exactly what I was talking about!"

"CORTEZ!" Klaus' voice echoed through the somber bar. He appeared holding a regular wooden stake in his hand. First thing he did was give a short look at Nicolas for any severe injuries. With a small nod, Nicolas indicated he was just fine. So, without further ado, he addressed Cortez. "Welcome to New Orleans. Long time no see. You've come all this way. You must be tired. Please, allow me the courtesy of putting you to rest."

"Wait Da- Klaus, stop," Nicolas thought it best to leave the part of their family relationship out of Cortez' knowledge. He gestured to the currently three compelled men that held knives to necks of three patrons.

"Make a move, Niklaus, and everyone here will die," Cortez smirked, thinking it would stand as an obstacle. "Or... You can wait for us all to learn the whereabouts of the white oak. Choice is yours. Either way, I win. Everyone lives... once you let me leave."

Klaus amusingly glared at the three endangered patrons - none were in relation to him. "So, you expect me to let you live, knowing you seek white oak? It's a shame how some vampires grow so dim with age. Killing you will be a mercy."

"Kill me, and this quaint eatery turns into a slaughterhouse, shining a light on your town's more repulsive activities."

"Oh, enough with the squabbling already," Nicolas shared a brief smirk with his father before acting on his own. With a flick of his hands the three compelled men went down from mild aneurysms, nothing severe but enough to get them out of the way for a while. "Get 'em."

And just like that, Klaus threw the wooden stake directly at Cortez's chest. From the force, Cortez was knocked back against a doorway. Weakly, Cortez tried pulling the stake from his chest but the moment he did Klaus had grabbed him by the collars and chucked him across the bar. Next, he took a bar-stool and broke one of its legs to form another stake. He cleverly buried it right beside his heart to keep Cortez alive but only a little.

~ 0 ~

"You told him," Hayley had furious eyes on Cami, forming a deep accusation on the blonde.

Cami was nervous because she knew against Hayley she would not win. But she stood her ground and by her decision. "I had to. You were going to get yourself killed and who would win there? Definitely not Hope."

"You leave my daughter out of this!" Hayley stalked towards them with a pointed finger on Cami. She stopped and pulled out a small notebook and opened it up for them to see. "This is a list of all the Strix who took down me and my husband. The ones responsible for his execution, which I was forced to watch."

With cautious eyes on her, Elijah took the list from her and read it. "The Strix will consider this is as an act of war, Hayley. Now, I beseech you to think of your daughter."

"Stop trying to use Hope in an attempt to tame me!" Hayley snapped.

"It's not a taunt, Hayley, you have to remember her," Cami sighed.

"Why are you so against this, Cami?" Hayley leaned closer to her. "Don't you remember who killed Gia?"

"Of course I remember," Cami said quietly. "But getting myself killed wouldn't do anything for her."

"You don't get it," Hayley backed away from them both now. "Neither of you get it." She turned around and stormed away.

~ 0 ~

After the people inside the bar had been compelled to remember nothing of the spectacle, Klaus returned to business...although failed to send Nicolas home. He refused, actually.

"I'm not doing it, so you might as well not waste your breath," Nicolas raised his hands and turned away. "Mum would kill me if I left you alone."

Klaus rolled his eyes and stalked back to where they'd left Cortez on the floor. He pulled the stake out of Cortez' chest and slammed him against the bar counter. "So before I end you, I just have one teensy little question. How did you know about the white oak?"

"There's no shortage of vampires who loathe you," Cortez smirked. "Over the years, we've found ways of staying connected. The world evolved, and those connections became simpler…" he pulled out his phone and gave it a mocking wave. "Stronger and instantaneous. It started as a rumor on a private message board. Now, I've confirmed the truth for everyone. So, go ahead. Kill me. But I will die filled with joy. Your sired are coming, Niklaus! They will destroy everything you love. And then they will use the white oak to kill you. And at last, you will get the retribution you deserve!"

Raging with anger, Klaus responded by karate-chopping Cortez' head off his body. But the feeling of endless fear was short from the end.

~ 0 ~

The map that once held but a few blood drops had been converted into a shower of blood. There were dozens of them, all heading straight for New Orleans at remarkable pace.

"So this may only be a fraction of our potential enemies," Elijah concluded with ease.

Kol gave a soft chuckle. "In hindsight, we could've been nicer to people. Or at least left fewer survivors." But no one was in the mood for those sort of comments.

"We don't know all their motivations," Klaus said, trying to mask some of that fear he knew he wore so visibly now. "Half of these people could want to put the bullet in your heart-" he pointed to Elijah, "-and end the sire war with the pull of a trigger."

"I have an army devoted to keeping me alive," Elijah assured. "The only people that care to protect you are in this building." He paused and had a long, serious look before he continued. "As you well know, Niklaus, there _is_ another way."

It wasn't difficult deciphering what he had meant. Klaus sighed and looked away, debating if he was willing to go through that again.

It didn't take long for Freya to fit in the pieces. "You're going to run?"

Klaus wholeheartedly chuckled at her. "There was a time when the name Klaus Mikaelson was little more than a rumor. A shadowy figure who cast fear into the very bones of any who heard whisper of him. I don't run, sister. I _disappear_. And tonight, the three of you are going to make that possible."

All three siblings nodded, but Elijah ventured to remind him of important details. "You should have a word with…"

Klaus understood and nodded, "Yes...I will…"

~ 0 ~

"It's quite simple, Marcel," Cami sighed and went on to repeat for the third time the instructions to cover up Hayley's disastrous acts. She went to the duffel bag left on his loft table which contained Cortez' head inside. "You make the Strix believe this is their guy and no one has to know about Hayley's part."

"And the werewolf bites?" Marcel raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know, make them think Cortez had an alliance with one of them - who cares! Just do it, won't you?"

Marcel came up to the table with glued eyes on the blonde, an unreadable expression on his face. "You've come a long way, Cami. Handing over dead heads now?"

Cami rolled her eyes. "It wasn't me, idiot. It was Klaus. His enemies are coming, that's something more you need to warn your group about. War's starting Marcel, and we need to be prepared no matter what sireline you're on. Can we count on you?"

"Yeah, course you can," Marcel lightly smiled at her, receiving one back seconds after.

~ 0 ~

Maleny tinkered with a small golden, ornamented box in front of the dressing table when Klaus showed up in the room. Seeing his reflection in the mirror, she put down the box and lowered her gaze.

"You're leaving," she said quietly.

Klaus was a bit surprised to find this already out in the open between them. "How could you know that?"

"Nicolas told me what happened at Rousseaus, what that man said to you...and…" Maleny turned around, "...after centuries I sort of learned how your mind works. Disappear-off-the-face-of-the-earth tactic was a favorite."

"It wasn't a favorite," Klaus went for the mild humor but Maleny wasn't buying it.

"Don't be funny with me," she requested, placing her hands on his chest, "Not tonight."

Klaus sobered up and wanted to explain everything without hurting her, but he couldn't figure it out. There was just...no way.

"I get it," Maleny's light voice brought him back to the moment. She was trying to smile, apparently be strong? She moved one of her hands to his cheek. "They'll come, and they'll use anything against you - Hope deserves better."

"And you…" he cupped her face, his expression torn once more.

"I'll be okay, I promise," but her words were betrayed by her teary eyes. "It wouldn't be the first time we've been separated-"

"Maleny, you could come-"

"No," Maleny shook her head. "I can't. I won't. You need to take Hope with you, and a little girl should never grow up without her mother. _I_ learned that, remember? I grew up with my mother and while Esther tried - truly tied, surprisingly - she was never close to being a second mother. Now I have always said that I love Hope as much as anyone else in this family, and when she grows up I'd like to be her...favorite aunt," she smiled strongly, as best as she could, "Cool aunt Mal, if possible...but never her mother. She has one, and so Hayley has to be the one to go with you."

Klaus stared at her for the longest, his hands gripping her arms. He could not believe she was being this strong and understanding - she had the will power he, at the moment, could not find. "I love you."

Maleny chuckled with a shaky breath. "I believe that now. And I love you too."

"I don't...I don't want to leave you," Klaus nearly lost his words as he came to realization. They'd had so little time together in peace and now he was being forced to leave - to leave _her_ again.

"We all have our parts to play," Maleny bit her lip in an attempt to hide her heavier breathing on account of her looming crying. "Just promise me you'll come back. You'll come back to me."

"I will, I will…" Klaus leaned forwards, his hands on her face gently stroking her skin, "...I'll come back to you, my Mal."

She let tears fall from her eyes but it didn't matter as they kissed their saddest kiss ever - it was a kiss goodbye.

~ 0 ~

Marlenie sat on the edge of her bed sniffling while her brother comforted her with a hug. They both knew of the family's plans and while it pained them they knew it was the best option. Still, it didn't mean they could hide their pain as well as others.

There was a light knock on the half-open door that made the twins break apart. When Marlenie saw Kol standing there she rolled her eyes and looked away. Nicolas, however, stood up and went up to him.

"Here's the spell you'll need for the cloaking," Kol explained as he handed a small folded piece of paper to Nicolas. "I'm sure you and Freya can manage."

"Yeah, no doubt," Nicolas took it, although confused. "I thought you were gonna help us…"

"I was, but, I figured you guys could manage without me for this night…" Kol's smile meant only one thing, and that one thing made Marlenie even more angry.

"Of course," she began, the anger in her voice easily detectable, "Go back to that devil woman who's responsible for all this."

"Marlenie," Nicolas sighed and turned back to his sister.

"What? Have I said something that's not true?"

"She didn't plan for all this," Kol couldn't help snap back, but received a scoff in return. "You know, I get that you're Nik's daughter but even _he's_ not this aggravating and idiotic."

"Hey!" Nicolas warned him with a pointed finger. "You're not going to talk to my sister like that either."

"And I see who inherited Mal's peacemaking skills," Kol rolled his eyes. "But maybe if Marlenie had a bit of perspective she'd understand that I'm not an easy place either."

Marlenie put down the blue cushion she'd been clutching and rose from her bed, casting a very deep glare albeit teary. "I spent centuries looking for my father, for a bit of family that I _deserved_ to meet. I went through ditches, through deserts, any bloody place you name it - I've been there looking. And just when I found them a nasty little girl comes in and snatches it from me!" As she spoke she walked towards Kol, who, for his and her sake, stayed silent and listened to what she had to say. "She didn't care that my father had a family, she didn't care that there wasn't just me or my brother but a little baby in the middle of this. She walked in and she ventured to kill him without ever considering who it might affect. So excuse me if I fail to like her."

There was a long silence as she and Kol stared at each other.

"Get out of my room," she ordered and turned away, expecting him to do so without so much a word back.

Kol looked at Nicolas, and seeing there wasn't much left to say, he departed. Nicolas closed the door and returned to his crying sister to comfort her.

~0~

Sometime later, everything had been packed and ready to go. Freya and Nicolas had emerged from the downstairs lounge room around the same time Klaus and Hayley had come downstairs.

"Is it done?" Klaus asked them both.

"All done," Nicolas promised. "Anyone who does a locator spell will believe you're right here in New Orleans."

"You know, for all of his mischief, Kol truly is a master of his craft," Elijah remarked, gathering down with Maleny and Marlenie behind him.

"Isn't that his forte?" tried to joke Maleny, and did succeed in making several of them smile.

"Don't stop driving 'til you're absolutely certain that you are safe," Elijah warned both Klaus and Hayley, both of whom nodded.

"You don't have to remind me how precious my cargo is," Klaus replied with, eyeing Hayley who held Hope in her arms.

"What a pink, precious cargo she is," Marlenie fiddled with Hope's small hand. No one had mentioned it but they could see Marlenie's reddened eyes.

"Marls," Klaus turned to her, and immediately the younger vampire's eyes flashed with newfound tears.

"We understand, we do," she promised. She sniffed, and when she couldn't take it anymore, she went to him and hugged him. "But I'm still going to miss you."

Klaus kissed her hair and hugged her for a full minute. He let her go when he felt her begin to pull away, but still he held her head. "You're strong, I know that. And I promise you, we will come back."

Marlenie gave a small nod of her head, closing her eyes when he kissed her forehead. Nicolas stepped forwards to give his father a hug as well, but unlike his sister he kept together more easily.

"We get it, Dad, we really do," Nicolas said as he put an arm around his sister's shoulders. "We know what it's like growing up without your parents, and we never want that to happen to our little sister."

"Besides," Marlenie decided to speak when she felt in better control of her words, "someone's got to stay and take care of Mum."

"Hey," Maleny scolded and walked up to Klaus. "Now you take care of that little girl, and yourself...and Hayley...and just...come back soon."

"I _will_ ," he swore to her, taking her left hand. He looked down at it for a moment with a wistful expression. Nobody had realized it yet, but he had made a milestone thought.

"See you soon," Maleny found it a bit easier to say than a 'goodbye'. Her eyes were matching Marlenie's in that they were full of tears.

"See you soon," Klaus repeated with an unusual shaky voice. He pressed a hand to her cheek and gave her a last kiss. He took a look at his small family of twins and their mother before turning away and following Hayley out.

Maleny mustered all her strength to keep herself straight and quiet until she was sure he wouldn't be able to hear her. When they all heard the ignition of the car - save Freya and Nicolas - Maleny burst into tears.

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Ah, a bit late on the update but still here! Not really much to say except that we're beginning to near the ending of this story with 6 chapters more to go! That should be interesting ;)

As usual, thanks for reading and leave a comment/thought if you'd like! Until next time guys!


	13. Shadow of the Enemy

Finding the last white oak bullet was certainly not one of Vincent's finest moments. He didn't care if the ancestors had led him there - it was only going to to bring problems for all of them. He shoved the bullet into one of his pockets and turned to leave when he bumped into a bright blonde woman. Unfortunately, this was an unfamiliar blonde vampire.

"Can I help you?" Vincent tried keeping a cool demeanor.

"I believe you already have!" the blonde, named Sofya, answered with a heightened cheer.

Vincent was reaching his patients limit. After being threatened, and almost killed in one of those situations, he was going to snap. "So, if you're looking for an easy target, you're in the wrong place."

When he was about to create a spell, three more vampires sped into the place. Vincent lowered his hands with a heavy, annoyed, sigh.

"Some free advice, Mr. Griffith?" Sofya continued speaking with that over cheery emotion. "Know when you're outmatched."

One of the vampires made a move on Vincent but he proved quicker as he cast a pain-infliction spell that sent the vampire to the ground. The next two vampires went after him but once again Vincent pulled out a stronger spell that caused both vampires to go unconscious. Sofya would not hide her impression of the man. As he prepared to cast a spell on her, she merely tilted her head and waited for him. It didn't take long for Vincent to realize his spell wasn't working om her.

"I was expecting more of a fight from the Regent of New Orleans," she gave a soft laugh before getting to business. In a blink of an eye she was behind him and bit into his neck.

Vincent screamed as he wrestled for his freedom. In the end, he managed to get free but not escape entirely. "Who are you?"

"I'm just a hired gun. Unfortunately... you're in my way." Sofya hit him in the head, easily knocking him out. When he fell to the ground, she bent down and dug into his pockets until she retrieved the white oak bullet.

~0~

Maleny walked into the compound courtyard with a glass of red blood inside. She was a little surprised to find Lucien at the entrance, but more amused to see him being denied entrance into the place by two of Strix vampires meant to protect Elijah.

"Maleny, would you mind telling your security team that I'm a dear and beloved friend of the family?" He called, wearing that ridiculous - yet admittedly, on occasions- charming smile.

"Oh believe me that's not the term used for you in this family," she took a long sip of her glass. "First of all, Klaus hates your guts." Nonetheless, she gave a nod to the Strix vampires to let him in.

However, not a minute later Marlenie had appeared and taken Lucien into a tight neck hold. "Don't you think because my father's gone that you can waltz into _his_ home and see my mother," she hissed.

Lucien was neither threatened nor amused. He instead laid eyes on Maleny and made a 'really?' expression.

Maleny gave a small shrug of her shoulders. "She's got a point. What do you want?"

Lucien tried budging out of Marlenie's hold but the woman gripped him tighter by the neck. He didn't want to start an argument not a physical fight with her either. It wasn't the way.

"I just wanted to know how things were considering Klaus ran away."

"He didn't run away," Maleny flatly rejected the idea. "He's protecting himself and his daughter. And if that was all you had to say, you can leave. I can't guarantee my daughter won't try and break your neck."

Marlenie let go of Lucien with a jolt and backed away. Lucien turned to her, narrowing his eyes for a minute, and walked away.

"Mother you can't keep entertaining this guy with the idea your friends," Marlenie went after her mother as the latter headed for the stairs.

"I'm not doing anything I shouldn't be. And besides, as much as it pains me, perhaps there can be use of Lucien," Maleny admitted, much to Marlenie's surprise.

"Are you plotting on using him?" she asked. Maleny didn't have to look back to know Marlenie was smirking as wide as could be. "I like the idea - let's share!"

~0~

Marcel finished a phone call with a strix vampire in a very loud, irritated manner. Josh, who was having himself a nice drink at the bar, looked up in amusement.

"I remember when you used to bark orders to me like that," he remarked and took another drink. "Ahhh... those were the salad days, weren't they?"

Marcel was nowhere near amused by all this. It was difficult enough having an eye on Elijah, the strix that were supposed to be on the lookout were another thing. "Come on in, Josh. Have a drink! Take a load off! Tell me- how have I wronged you this time?"

Josh gave him a look. "Well, you said the Strix were as good as gone once we figured out who was killing their guys."

"Turns out I still need 'em."

"Mmm. And, in the meantime, me and the rest of your benchwarmers are supposed to do what?"

"Besides keep the bench warm?"

"Hilarious! I have a better idea. How's that saying go? If you can't beat 'em...?"

It was at that moment that Cami strode in, and after hearing it all, she gave a mighty loud scoff. "You're not joining the Strix, Josh."

"Well," Marcel pretended to gasp in surprise while Josh gave her a look, "what are you doing out here? Last time I heard you were one of Elijah's new wom-"

Cami snatched the glass he had poured bourbon into. "Finish that sentence and you'll find yourself in a very sticky situation." She smirked, waved his glass at him, and drank some of it down.

"Hello, I had an idea," Josh waved his hand at them to get their attention again.

"You want to join the Strix?" Marcel already shook his head in refusal. "Do you know what I had to do to get _her_ -" he pointed at Cami who rolled her eyes in return, "- _out_ of it?"

"Hey, no one asked you to," the blonde snapped. "Elijah had no right to do that - I'm still making him work for that one."

"Doesn't matter anymore," Marcel sighed and faced the both of them. "The Strix are only staying to protect Elijah."

Josh, who was far from giving up, remarked oh-so-casually, "So, I guess they know about the auction, then?" He now had the grave attention of both vampires. "For the last existing white oak bullet?" but by the looks on both Marcel and Cami he knew they didn't know anything of it. "Wait- you mean your army of fancy-pants vampires didn't tell you about this? Weird! Well, that's the thing about ancient vampires, isn't it? They don't pay attention to modern things. Unlike your friend here, who minored in computer science and wrote a paper on the dark web!"

"Cut the crap and go for the point, please," Cami snapped.

"I ran down some online rumors... Turns out, someone claiming to have the white oak is offering it up to the highest bidder. Today."

"It could be a fake," theorized Marcel, Cami was still unsure however.

However, Vincent entered the place with a weariness like no other along with a bruised eye. Though he seemed weak, his anger covered it all. "I wouldn't bet on it."

"Vincent, what happened to you!?" Cami quickly rushed over to help him.

"I had the white oak bullet in the palm of my hand, and then some ancient vampire lady-" he tugged on his collar shirt and revealed Sofya's bite marks on his neck, "-she rang my bell to get it." The expressions on everyone's faces were paralleling in that they were, unfortunately, in the dark about it all. "Now, I think "old vampire," I think you, and your new friends. But it sounds like this one ain't one of yours."

~0~

Kol had made it back to the compound to explain his shocking meeting with their eldest brother, Finn, who somehow mysteriously returned to life as well.

"Are you quite sure?" Elijah was giving him a doubtful look.

Kol nodded quickly. "I saw him with my own eyes. Finn must have come back when Davina resurrected me. The spell was tied to the blood of the Mikaelson line. Either it worked on him, or he found a way to hijack it. Either way, the only 'how' I care about right now is how long I'm going to make him suffer before I kill him."

"Restraint, brother," Elijah called as Kol began a frantic pace in the room. "For now."

Kol stopped with a scoff. "Why? Finn is clearly the one spreading rumors about missing white oak. He's luring Nik's enemies out of the woodwork. It's all part of his tedious revenge fantasy."

"You're wrong," Freya came into the room, her assurance surprising her brother's. "You're wrong. Those rumors began before either of you returned. Finn's innocent."

"Innocent?" It was now Maleny who entered the room, shooting daggers at the blonde witch.

Kol was pretty much the same as Maleny in their views on Finn. Both had been mortally wronged by the man. Freya, however, remained the same on her views.

"Pardon me, love-" Kol moved towards Freya, "-but Finn tried to kill the rest of us more than once! He's an enemy of our family."

"He is our _family_. Finn's return is an opportunity to mend old wounds and fix what's broken."

This time both Kol and Maleny scoffed together.

"I would _never_ forgive Finn for what he did to me, Freya," Maleny meant that as a warning. "He made my worst nightmare come true."

"And he _murdered_ me!" Kol added.

Elijah was willing to hear out Freya's side, much to the other two's annoyance. "Time and time again, Finn has demonstrated nothing but contempt toward his family. So, you tell me how can you be so certain that he would return to us in peace?"

"Oh, hell no," they all heard Maleny whisper from the threshold. She disappeared and reappeared a second later with none other than Finn in her custody. Without warning, she threw the man to the floor and pressed her boot's heel on his back. "I'm gonna need a hell of a reason _not_ to kill him right now," she looked directly at Freya.

Kol smirked as wide as possible. "I can't find one, go right ahead Mal."

"Oh please," began Finn, who, ironically, didn't seem the least threatened by the blonde despite his current situation. "She gains immortality and suddenly thinks she's Queen of the world."

Maleny arched an eyebrow at him and lightly dug her heel into his skin, earning a small grunt from him in return. "I hate you," she declared. "And if I don't get you, Kol will."

Kol's smirk widened while Elijah seemed tired of it. Freya, on the other hand, was horrified to see such hostility between them all.

~0~

Marcel and Cami stood behind Josh's chair while the latter fiercely typed on a laptop. Josh was figuring out more information for the auction of the white oak bullet. Vincent sat on a couch trying to regain some strength by drinking some of Cami's blood. Cami was insistent that no one tell the Mikaelsons until they had concrete information about it.

"There's no clear name," Josh stopped on a small part of the page and pointed to a description. "But whoever found it is offering it up to the highest bidder…"

Cami leaned closer and looked at the bottom. "And the expected visit count is way too high for any of our likes."

"I imagine it won't be long till the Strix find out," Josh hummed, still kind of excited he was the first one out of all of them to figure out this.

"I gotta call Elijah," Marcel declared and straightened up, moving a bit to the side to get that call.

"Fine," Cami said, only getting more comfortable beside Josh. "But in the meantime we're-" she looked at Josh, "-gonna figure out a way to win that auction."

"He's not going to like that 'we' part, Cami," Marcel warned with a small smirk while dialing for the number. "Elijah? We have some bad news…"

Cami immediately made a wild gesture to capture Marcel's attention. She then mouthed to him 'don't tell him I'm here'. Marcel shook his head but nonetheless followed her request. He explained to Elijah about the finding and action of the white oak bullet.

"The Strix are, going to be, uh... spooked."

Elijah made a scoff on the other line. "And they're usually such a laid-back bunch!"

Marcel sighed. "Well, with that bullet out there, half of them will want to bury you alive. I can't blame them- you die, they die, too."

Elijah, while on some level understanding, refused to agree. "Tell them that the Mikaelson compound is quite secure, and with the addition of their own forces, absolutely impenetrable. No one will leave here, no one will enter. Do you understand? Maybe this will stop their infernal bitching."

"Giving me enough time to win that auction... or kill the guy who does," Marcel said, happening to glance at Cami and Josh and saw the blonde shaking her head at him. She wasn't going to sit around this time.

"By any chance, have you seen Camille?" Elijah's question was heard by everyone in the room except Vincent. Cami warning pointed at Marvel to keep quiet about her location.

Marcel made a 'you owe me' look before telling Elijah he hadn't seen her today. When he hung up, he was fast to warn her this was a bad idea.

"Knowing Elijah he'll want to keep me in the compound and that's not happening," she declared. "No one tells him where I am."

"That's not going to stop Freya from casting a locator spell," reminded Vincent.

"By that time we'll be finished," she cheerfully said and turned back to the laptop with Josh.

~0~

The moment Elijah finished his conversation with Marcel on the phone, he heard a disastrous noise from a shattering case in the lounge room. There was some shouting afterwards but none of it was a surprise to him. He returned to the lounge room to see Freya and Nicolas in the middle of the room with Finn on one side, arguing against Maleny and Kol on the other side. Marlenie was doing her best to keep the two vampires back.

It was quite the scene.

"Take a swing at me, huh? All these side-steps and parries... Even the way you fight is boring!" Kol exclaimed, trying to push beside Marlenie.

Finn scoffed and quipped. "It's an odd critique, considering all your flair and flourish couldn't keep you from being bested the last time we faced each other."

"So easy to talk when you had _Mummy_ backing you up!" Maleny retorted. "Could you ever have a fight without her?"

"Have your son and daughter step aside and we'll see," Finn challenged.

"Enough!" Freya was in frustration as no one in the bloody room listened to her.

"Yes, enough," Kol agreed and took a moment of distraction to shove her aside.

"Aunt Freya!" Nicolas ran to her as she fell to the floor.

"Stop it!" Marlenie shouted as Kol pushed Finn into a nearby wall.

Maleny struggled against her daughter's grip but was edging Kol to continue. Before Kol did anything however, Lucien appeared and snatched Kol away. He kept Kol there with a chokehold and looked at the rest, overly amused.

"Perhaps we should let them fight? After all, they can't actually kill each other," he joked and took a look at the three involved.

"I'd love to set that in motion," Maleny had enough and stomped on Marlenie's foot.

"Ow!" cried the woman and on instinct let go of Maleny.

"Behave yourselves," Elijah's voice went above everyone else's. "Particularly considering we'll be confined here together for the foreseeable future."

"Excuse me?" Maleny turned to him.

Kol freed himself from Lucien's hold to oppose this declaration. "What does that mean?"

"I believe the term is "staycation." You see, Niklaus isn't the only one who's inspired revenge fantasies. Right now, we are all at risk," Elijah warned them with pointed fingers to knock it off. "So, while Marcel works to retrieve the white oak, I recommend we dispense with the posturing and get down to some good, old-fashioned family bonding."

Maleny glared at Finn. "He can go right back to hell because I'm not wasting breath on him." She walked right out.

Nicolas helped Freya off the floor and when he was sure she was alright, he turned back to Finn. "Can you explain why my mother hates you so much?"

Finn narrowed his eyes on the younger-looking man. He knew who he and Marlenie were, and still couldn't bring himself to feel any sort of familial affection for them.

"You better answer my brother's question," warned Marlenie who came to stand beside Nicolas.

Kol didn't give Finn the chance to do it - believing he would make up some sort of crazy story to make himself look better. "Finn transferred Maleny's soul into another body after she had returned to her original body months prior. And it was for a revenge plot."

"Kol," scolded Freya, but the vampire in question merely shrugged without a care.

"Suddenly I like Lucien a little better," Marlenie declared and walked out.

"Thanks...I think," went Lucien who was still considering the meaning of those words.

~ 0 ~

In the hours that passed by, Marcel and Vincent had managed to retrieve a vampire corpse they'd found from the Strix's battles with newcomers that turned out to be a threat. Josh and Cami had stayed inside to figure out more of the auction and when they spotted the man being dropped on the floor they had to a stop.

"Um...do we know this guy?" Cami got out of her chair.

"Random enemy of Klaus. Elijah spotted him in the St. James," Marcel explained while Vincent bent down to pull out the man's cellphone from one of his pockets.

"You think he was here for the auction?" Cami blinked with horror.

However, beside her, Josh went ding with an idea. "If he's here for the auction, they must've sent him a login. Check his texts and emails."

Vincent did as told and scoured through the text messages on the phone until he found one particular text with an unknown name. He clicked on it to see an auction login just as Josh had said. "Uh, I got it." He walked for the table Josh was at and handed him the phone.

Josh beamed and immediately typed in the information. As soon as he did, a video of Sofya appeared on the screen. It turned out to be a live feed to the auction.

"That's her," Vincent went wide-eyed as soon as he saw his attacker.

' _You are the lucky few, chosen for your extensive resources and extreme prejudice toward the Mikaelsons. Whomever's bid proves most alluring to my employer will become the sole owner of the last piece of white oak in existence.'_ Sofya raised up the bullet as proof of her words. _"Opening bid is $5 million. Shall we begin?_

The screen switched to show a web chatroom which already had dozens of bidders giving up their bids. The others leaned around Josh to see what kind of competition they were going up against.

"Whoa. A fleet of oil tankers? A dozen casinos in Monaco? Yeah, these guys are not playing around," Josh looked at the rest.

"Wait," Cami turned to Marcel with an idea, "did Aya teach you the 'aliquid sub sole' thing?"

"What is that?" frowned Vincent as well as Josh.

Marcel, who did in fact know the procedure, explained. "It's Latin for 'anything'," an infamous Strix rite. It means the whole order pledges to fulfill any one command."

"What if it can work to get the bullet?" theorized Cami who gestured to the computer, able to see plenty more bidders adding themselves to the comment area.

"You really think that'd work?" Josh asked in full doubt.

Marcel considered their lack of options and sighed, giving in to what Cami had thought of. "Just do it, Josh."

Josh mumbled an unsure 'okay' as he typed in the phrase. Not a minute later, the entire page turned pitch black with the words 'bid accepted' appearing at the center.

Seconds later, the dead man's cellphone went off. Slowly, Josh picked it up and answered. Sofya didn't wait to be greeted. Her voice rang throughout the silent loft.

"Congratulations. 4:00, 318 Toulouse Street, Suite 1."

Sofya then hung up.

"Alright Cami," Marcel shot the blonde vampire an impressed smile. "How'd you know about that anyways?"

"Aya liked me I guess," shrugged Cami. "But c'mon, let's go get that prize!"

~ 0 ~

Maleny stood solemnly inside her old room - which now technically belonged to Marlenie - in front of one of the windows. Her eyes were staring down at the busy streets but her mind was elsewhere. She could hear, distantly, a conversation Freya was having with Finn, as well as Davina arriving to the compound. But everything that was said went in through one of her ears and out the next. The thing that did stand out was the person that walked into the room.

"Do you know how long it took me to get used all the noises I could suddenly hear after dying?"

Now Lucien thought it was a ridiculous question to ask at a time like this, but he thought he shouldn't point it out.

"Weeks. The first time, when I was suddenly this...enhanced wolf, I could hear everything, from a mile off. I was a _wolf_ ," she made a small noise like she still couldn't believe it.

"I assume this was the chosen body Finn decided to put you in for revenge?" Lucien inquired.

Maleny turned around with a grim face. "He stole someone's life, endangered her by putting me inside. He made her boyfriend suffer. Do you know where they are now?" Lucien made a gesture that of course he didn't know. "Far, _far_ away from here. Because of us, Alton and Yamilet fled the city because war was going to happen. Freya doesn't get it because she didn't live with us. Finn destroyed so many things, so many people, and he hurt people. I can't forgive that. And I don't intend to."

"Just as well," Lucien shrugged. "You shouldn't." It appeared Maleny was expecting some sort of response that would tell her to give Finn another chance. She'd chosen the wrong person. Lucien had a small laugh to himself as he went on. "I mean, he's not even your family. Why give the bastard another chance?"

Maleny stared at him oddly. In the couple of seconds that followed she remembered their current situation. Shaking her head, she walked past him towards the door. "You shouldn't be here, Lucien. It's not right."

Lucien did a half turn, momentarily glowering, but when he turned completely he showed no expression of it. "What?"

"You know 'what'," Maleny stopped by the door with a long sigh. "You know I'm terribly sorry - about _everything_ \- and that you deserved better. But that's it."

Lucien swayed his head, plastering a tiny smile for her sake. "I was hoping we could move on from that... _incident_ -" he crinkled his nose, "-and try being friends."

"You could be friends with me?" Maleny raised an eyebrow, showing her mild surprise. "You realize you would be signing yourself up to constant tension with my children, and a mighty one from Klaus."

"Well, as it turns out, Klaus needs all the allies he can make at the moment-"

"So you're using me to blackmail?" now she frowned.

Lucien sighed and walked up to her. "Maleny, I am trying to be nice - and you should know I haven't been 'nice' since Cecilia's death - and finally _move on_ with my life. You might not believe it, but I haven't had a proper rest since the day Aurora murdered you."

Maleny's eyes softened at this confession, as well as a terrible pit of guilt forming in her stomach. She knew she would have to live with the fact she ruined this man's life. She honestly didn't mind being friends with Lucien, she knew very well what she wanted and where she wanted to be. It was only worrisome to think about what everyone else would say.

"Acquaintances," she whispered slowly, like she was just coming to that conclusion. "We can start...by being acquaintances."

"Acquaintances?" Lucien laughed, thinking it was a joke. "Darling, I think we're a bit past that, don't you think?"

"It's unorthodox but I think it's where we need to start if we truly want to move on from the past." Maleny raised her head, making sure she was being clear as she explained. "You don't know me, Lucien, you knew Cecilia. I am not that woman. My name is Maleny Rowan, and I was once a simple village girl who dreamed of many things. _That_ is the woman you are going to be friends with. So none of this 'darling' stuff, okay?"

Lucien stared at her for a minute, his mind working to see how this could go. She was adamant, he knew, and seeing a lack of options he gave into her terms. "Hello, Maleny Rowan," he extended his hand for her to shake, "Lucien Castle, how do you do?"

She chuckled, actually believing this would finally work out.

If she could just see past those charming, dark eyes of his...she would've seen what was coming soon.

~ 0 ~

Josh was beginning to wonder if his idea had been a good one now that he stood in front of Sofya's suite in the guise of the Aldous Charlamagne - the man who died at the hands of the Strix. He left his nervousness behind when he was let in by one of Sofya's workers. Walking into the suite, he found it almost empty save for a bit of furniture to sit on. As he walked further inside, he spotted Sofya coming down the stairs.

She had a polite, yet dangerous, smile as she came to greet him. Congratulations, Mr...?"

Josh cleared his throat to answer with a much deeper voice. "Aldous Charlamagne. And the pleasure is all mine!" He stuck his hand for her to shake, however she did not.

Not a second later he felt someone's hand on his arm followed by someone punching him severely strong. He fell back into the arms of another vampire who grabbed him tight so that the first vampire could continue beating him. Josh cut in, surprisingly, and elbowed the vampire holding him and began kicking and punching through the rest of the vampire.

Sofya joined in the end and kicked him in the face so hard he fell back to the was then picked up by a couple vampires who this time made sure Josh wouldn't be able to fight back anymore.

Sofya revealed with a smile she had been in the know all along. "Joshua, isn't it? Tell Marcel Gerard he cannot stop the inevitable. I answer to someone who wants the Mikaelsons to pay for their sins... And so they will pay." She looked up at her vampires with a smirk. "In the meantime? Make it hurt."

~0~

Nicolas sat on his own in the downstairs living room with his mother's and grandmother's spell books in front of him. He was waiting for his aunt Freya to come join him to search for a way to retrieve the bullet, or at the very least find it. When Davina poked her head inside, he was busily reading a section of a spell he thought might work for their case.

"You don't by any chance know where Kol is?" Davina made sure to ask like this was something she truly wanted to know. They had a bit of a disagreement earlier and had yet to see him again.

Nicolas lowered the book to reveal mild surprised blue eyes. He knew his family wasn't exactly Davina's favorite. "I haven't seen him, sorry."

Davina sheepishly smiled, accepting his response. She still walked further inside, coming to a stop behind the couch across Nicolas. "Can I help? With, um…" she gestured to the book in his hands.

Nicolas raised an eyebrow, of course doubting her intentions. He wasn't one to snap like Marlenie apparently tended to, but he didn't stay quiet either. "Not too long ago you tried to kill my father and broke his sire line. Now _you_ are the reason why he's not here." Davina swallowed hard. "You _actually_ want to help me?"

"Oookay," Davina drew out as she walked around the couch, "Point taken. I don't like your father-"

"We got the jist," Nicolas flatly said.

"But Kol is troubled and-"

"Now you suddenly have the motivation to help the family you're known to despise." Nicolas sighed and put down the spell book beside him. "How lovely of you."

Davina thought he was going to put an end to her plan while he closed the spell books.

"I have to go find my aunt Freya. If you're actually going to help, why don't you come up with a way to get the white oak bullet." He gave her a side look before walking out.

Davina immediately nodded, but as soon as he was gone, she scurried towards the left spell books across. She took Esther Mikaelson's grimoire and opened it up. She passed several pages until she came to a specific spell. "Alright, Finn... Let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine," with a smirk she tore off the page with the needed spell and closed it up. Kol had told her how Finn plotted to take another witch's body in order to live as mortal. Well, she wasn't going to let that happen anytime soon.

~0~

Josh had been fighting against Sofya's vampires and, while the numbers had come down to a mere two, he was terribly losing. With a bloody mouth, he looked up at them. "Oh, don't you guys know bullies never win?"

The two men had a minute to think before they had their hearts ripped out from their chests. Marcel and Cami stood behind them with satisfied smirks across their faces.

Vincent came in after holding a white pillar candle in his hands. He went for a coffee table that had miraculously remained put together.

"Cutting it a little close on the rescue there, aren't we?" Josh gestured to his beaten face. Cami bent down and helped him get off the floor.

"Had to give you enough time to do your thing," Marcel said.

"So... did you?" Cami pointedly looked at Josh.

"I bled on her," Josh nodded. "She's gonna have one heck of a dry cleaning bill."

The three walked to where Vincent had set up for the spell coming. Josh , knowing his part, but into his palm and let the blood fall into the lit candle Vincent had.

"You sure you can track her using his blood?" Cami asked Vincent as they crowded around the table.

Vincent responded by casting the spell already. "Aducté do mi volum ix ti de…"

It wasn't long before they had found the blonde vampire after that.

~0~

"Mother, have you seen my-" Marlenie stopped short when she saw Kol having himself a drink at the bar upstairs. "Oh, it's you."

Kol, who had far too much on his plate, shuffled away from her in his seat.

Marlenie intended on leaving but something about him made her stay for a moment more. "Is it true uncle Finn murdered you?"

Kol made a sound that pretty much told her he couldn't believe she was asking it.

"For the record I heard uncle Elijah saying he thought you were planning something," she shrugged. Kol continued to say nothing to her. He took a long drink instead. "For the record, _I_ would be coming up with something gruesome for revenge." At this, Kol finally made an acknowledgement of her words by turning halfway in her direction. Marlenie smirked. "He cursed you to die. I imagine it wasn't fun nor quick for you."

Kol glowered at his glass. "I was to die in front of Davina."

"Ah, right, awful way to go." Marlenie took his first response as an indicator it was alright to walk further inside. "And now uncle Elijah thinks the best revenge is to simply expel him from our lives altogether. How _cute_."

Kol practically shook with anger, but even he had to admit this was a strange position for her. "You are _definitely_ daughter of Nik."

Marlenie smirked then laughed as she sat on the couch armrest. "Well, while his genes are a high influence, I have made myself this way due to how I lived. I was turned young and left with no teacher. I learned to eliminate anything that could give away my secret. And then I met the Veldens - the family where my mother had resided long ago - and I made them into my workers. One of them tried to kill me and without hesitation I ripped his heart out. He tried killing me, it was only fair I returned the favor."

The look on Kol's face was that of impression.

Marlenie once again smirked. "We may have our differences but I empathize with your situation. Uncle Elijah has no right to decide anything if the situation did not encumber him at all."

"You're beginning to have use for me," Kol gave her a mock salute before drowning the rest of his drink.

However, Marlenie stayed examining him while he drank, noticing the almost urgency to get another drink for himself. "Got a little bit of a drinking problem there?" she called, still mentally putting the pieces together.

"Something like that," Kol muttered and delve into another glass of bourbon.

Then, it clicked.

Marlenie rose from her seat over the armrest and, seeming almost fascinated, walked closer to him. "It's a _drinking_ problem alright, but not precisely with _bourbon_."

"What are you? A psychologist?" snapped Kol, but she only laughed.

"Fashion designer I'll have you know," she took his glass from his own hand and put it down on the counter. "I assume coming back from the dead has altered your lust for blood."

Kol gave her a hardened look. "What would you know about that?"

"I was left alone, uncle Kol-"

"Don't do the uncle thing," warned the uncle in question.

She rolled her eyes but smirked. "I was left alone to learn about vampirism. Of course I had blood lust problems in the beginning."

Kol shook his head. "I'd like to blame my anger on Finn, or the death part, I never did learn how to keep it in check. I never really cared to…"

"But now because of Davina you want to. How adorable," she rolled her eyes.

"I couldn't live with myself if I hurt Davina. But, hurting the ones we love, whether we mean to or not...you just haven't learned that yet."

There was a loud commotion coming from the courtyard that drew both of their attentions. They hurried out to the balcony to see Davina engaging Finn in a drastic spell.

"What is she doing!?" Marlenie gaped while Kol decided whether or not this was bad.

Nicolas ran out from the downstairs living room and caught sight of the two downstairs. "Davina, you stole a spell from my grandmother's book!"

Davina had twirled her hand and forced Finn on his knees with her unknown spell. Finn screamed in terrible pain as he felt something burning under his chest, preventing the incantation from being understood.

Davina smirked at her work. "I hear you're looking to steal the body of some unsuspecting witch. Get comfy, Finn. I just locked you in that body you hate so much. You're stuck as a vampire for the rest of your pathetic life."

Finn became so furious he vamped-out and went against her, practically slamming her against the wall. Kol was there in a minute and threw him across the courtyard. He sped after Finn and punched him both across the face and the stomach before slamming his brother against the nearest wall. They went back and forth throwing each other in the courtyard, while the rest were frantically watching.

"Marlenie! Do something!" Nicolas called to his twin upstairs. Marlenie tilted her head at the two brothers with mild amusement. "Marlenie!"

"The situation didn't encumber me, Nick. It's between them," she answered calmly.

"Are you kidding me!?" Nicolas practically screamed. Even Davina had been left aside to watch in utter shock at such rage Kol was displaying.

Just as Kol grabbed a lot candle to use on Finn, Lucien came in and pushed Kol away, once more bemused by this behavior.

"What the hell is going on?" Maleny soon emerged from from a downstairs hallway.

"Enough!" Elijah hurried in along with Freya.

"This isn't your fight!" Kol pointed at him.

"I told you to stay your hand!"

Kol angrily threw the candle he still held onto across the room, shattering nearby decorations. "I'd rather take my chances out there with white oak then stay here with you lot." He did as he said and walked out, leaving Davina to scurry after him.

"He can't leave!" Maleny made to follow when Elijah called to her.

"He'll be fine," Cami walked in quite confidently. She pulled out the white oak bullet from her pocket. "Because I have the last remaining white oak."

Elijah was stunned to see where it had landed and immediately walked towards her. "How did you-"

"I helped Marcel," Cami said, gently handing him the bullet. "Destroy it," she whispered.

Elijah didn't need to be told twice. He took the bullet and turned to Freya. "Sister, if you would be so kind?"

Freya of course nodded and conjured up the fire pit near them. Finn suddenly yelled to stop Elijah as he threw the bullet into the flames, and when he saw it hadn't worked, Finn sped to the fire pit and retrieved the bullet despite burning himself.

Everyone was utterly shocked to see this, and when Finn turned around he met them with despair. "The little witch has condemned me to this! To remain a beast. Elijah... I can't bear an eternity with no hope of escape. Can you?"

Elijah didn't listen and demanded him to return it at once. When no such thing happened, Lucien took control and sped past Finn, snatching the bullet from Finn's palm. For a moment, Lucien just stared at the bullet like he couldn't believe it actually existed.

"Lucien?" Maleny quietly called to him after a long minute had passed. He quickly looked up and remembered. He then tossed the bullet back to Elijah.

"Come on, then. After all this time... go on and destroy it," he said to the family.

"Elijah, forever is a burden that nobody should have to bear," Finn continued pleading.

"You cannot keep that white oak in this house, Elijah," Maleny argued, despite bearing Finn's hater eyes. "It's what's drawing everyone to us."

It was clear that Elijah was highly indecisive.

"Perhaps the best solution is obvious?" Lucien tried his hand. "Entrust it to the one who loves each of you most."

It wasn't difficult to identify the person for the job. Freya blinked with surprise during the first seconds, but slowly accepted the idea. "I can cloak myself. If it has to exist, at least I can take it far away. Hide it under a thousand spells, somewhere where no one else will ever find it." She turned to Finn who was the most affected. "Until the day comes when... you're ready for release."

And so, she took the bullet from Elijah and set to work.

~0~

"You want to tell me what the hell was that back there?" Nicolas came storming into his sister's bedroom, looking like hell despite things supposedly settling down in the family.

Marlenie seemed bored he was still stuck on that event. She sat up on her bed and arched an eyebrow. "What about it?"

"Our uncles were about to literally kill each other and you were just going to stand there and watch!?"

"It wasn't my fight, Nick," Marlenie shrugged.

"I get that you don't like uncle Kol but this was far too much, Marls!" Nicolas released a heavy sigh, his voice lowering down from his original shouts. "You can't just sit there and watch as our family tears each other apart. That's not what family does."

Marlenie rolled her eyes. "Uncle Finn had what was coming to him. He put our mother into her worst nightmare and then murdered his own brother."

"And our father used to dagger them," Nicolas reminded, gesturing with a hand what was the problem. "Our family is not normal - we're far from it. But in the end, we never strive to kill." He gave her a last look before walking towards the door. He stopped by only to say, "And you're lucky I'm not telling Mum about this."

Marlenie smirked and threw a pillow towards him, almost getting him if he hadn't closed the door so quick.

~ 0 ~

"Lucien?" Maleny stepped out of the compound just as the man in question was heading towards his car. He seemed genuinely surprised to find her standing there for him, and, out of sheer curiosity to see what she wanted, he came back to her. Maleny looked up at him with a rather sheepish smile. "I just wanted to thank you for what you did today. I don't know if anyone else has said it yet-"

"They don't really like me, so," Lucien shared a small smirk with her. "But I will graciously take yours."

"It really does mean a lot to me to see you helping us, despite...what happened," Maleny admitted. "I know this family hasn't been kind to you, and neither have I, but just like we said before, I would definitely like to be your friend."

Lucien's eyes looked directly into hers, a storm of different thoughts swirling inside. She was so kind, and so honest, it almost made it difficult for him to keep moving on with his plans.

Maleny just smiled at him in return.

~ 0 ~

Despite it all, Elijah and Cami found it in them to have some drinks upstairs. As Elijah took a sip of his drink, he could see Cami's eyes through his glass boring on him. Calmly, he lowered his drink and sighed.

"You think I should've burned it, don't you?"

Cami didn't answer right away. She paused her drinking and shrugged. "It was your call, not mine. But-" she began to smirk, pointing at him with her hand holding his glass, "-I think the phrase 'sibling rivalry' is about to take on a whole new meaning."

Elijah couldn't help playfully roll his eyes at her. "I can handle my brothers, Camille."

"Mm, I'd like to see how this is going to end," Cami put her glass down after finishing it all. "But I suppose we would need to continue with getting the name out of that Sofya."

"About that-" Elijah pointed at her, "-I'm not very pleased to know you were fighting this woman with Marcel."

"Elijah, I told you I was going to help in any way I could. Are you going to really be mad over it when it turned out alright?" Elijah gave her a long stare, making her sigh. "C'mon, Elijah! Everything's better now. Without a weapon, all the rest of the revenge seekers are just a bunch of buzzing flies."

This made Elijah think a thought he hadn't considered before. "Maybe. Did it not seem... too easy?"

Cami raised an eyebrow. "Easy?" she barely repeated the word when her phone went off. "It's Marcel," she said after seeing his name on the screen, "Probably with good news."

At the same time, Elijah's phone buzzed. His call was from Klaus, who'd yet to make a call so far since he left.

"We got the white oak. Time to come home," Elijah informed the moment he took the call, however Klaus was yet to sound happy about it.

"Well, at least one of us has something good to report... Because Hayley and I have just made a rather unsettling discovery. Seems our friends at Kingmaker Land Development are still targeting wolves. What we don't know is why."

Elijah's brow furrowed in deepest thought. "This whole time, we've been so consumed with everything out there. This auction, this swarm of old enemies... what if it was just a distraction? Niklaus, I'm beginning to fear that the real threat has been in front of us all along."

"Elijah," Cami said his name with a light gasp. She lowered her phone, "Marcel said Vincent went haywire because of the ancestors. They wanted Vincent to help _him_."

"Who's 'him'?" Elijah began getting out of his stool.

"Sofya's gone and so is Vincent," Cami was now visibly panicking. "He snapped Marcel's and Josh's necks and then left."

"Niklaus, we'll have to talk later," Elijah excused himself and hung up.

At that moment, Nicolas walked into the room, looking puzzled. "Has anyone seen my Mum?" Both vampires turned to him, the wheels in their minds slowly connecting pieces they hadn't seen before. "I've looked for her everywhere and she's not here. She's not in the compound."

There was a horrific realization that struck both Elijah and Cami at the same time.

"Where's my mother?"

~ 0 ~

Maleny gasped awake on a familiar couch. Immediately she recognized the environment as Lucien's living room, she just couldn't remember how she'd gotten there. As she started pulling herself up into a sitting upright position, she heard frantic grunts that really sounded muffled.

"Freya!" she gasped upon seeing her blonde witch sister tied to a wooden chair while also gagged. She didn't think twice before jumping from the couch to go untie her. She pulled off the gag and allowed Freya a breather.

"Maleny, we're in some serious trouble-" Freya began to say when none other than Lucien appeared behind Maleny.

"Glad to see you're awake, darling," his voice startled Maleny into turning around fast.

"What are you doing? Why are we here? _How_ did I even get here!?"

Lucien just smiled, reaching to brush some of his fingers on the side of her face.

Maleny felt a terrible fear at the pit of her stomach, and it showed in her strained, shaky voice. "What are you going to do to us?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Well folks, this is the beginning of the action-filled episodes if we do remember. Yikes!

 **For the reviews:**

Hiyah! I'm so glad to hear you like Maleny and just her story overall! It's always nice to hear appreciating comments! Yes you're not the first one to say something like that about the Elijah/Cami pairing and it's super okay because I know it's not canon (even though I really do ship it after Klamille). But I'm also really happy to see that it grew on you! Yes, when I wrote that last part for the last chapter I was having trouble deciding whether or not Maleny would go with Klaus. In the end I decided that Maleny would think logically and overall just as a mother. She wouldn't dream of taking Hayley's place as Hope's mother, and she would never dare to leave her own twins behind. Hmmm...we never know what's going on in Klaus' head so who knows what that little look meant ;) But I promise that little moment will be brought up to clarify!

Aw I'm sorry, I'l get you some tissues! We know that eventually Klaus does return so there's definitely a reunion coming!

* * *

Thank you for reading and hope to hear you comments/thoughts! Until next time!


	14. He Rises

Night had turned into day, and as such, no one had yet to find Lucien. Now he, along with an unhappy Vincent, walked a wrist-bounded Freya and a free Maleny down a familiar set of woods.

"I cannot believe you are actually doing something stupid like this," Maleny flatly said, once again huffing deeply. "I thought we were friends, we-"

Lucien scoffed at that, finally able to show his true colors. Therefore, he could freely denounce her silly idea. "I can't imagine you ever thought I was actually agreeing."

"Because I wanted to give you a chance!"

"Oh please," he rolled his eyes.

"What's stopping me from attacking right now?"

Lucien gave her an amused look over his shoulder. "The fact you would have to age a thousand years in vampire would be a starter. Second of all would be the lovely Freya who isn't as strong as us."

Freya shot him a death look, knowing that Vincent was there to ensure she performed no magic.

"But you didn't bound me like her," Maleny had a tint of a smirk at the corner of her lips. "Kinda means something, doesn't it?"

Lucien preferred not to answer that.

"How?" Maleny then demanded, not about to give him the pleasure of a full silence from his little crowd he was forming with them. "I want to know how you're doing all this. I deserve that much."

Lucien scoffed and stopped to turn around and face her and the rest. "You deserve _nothing_."

"You're still angry with me," Maleny understood with a sigh. And she did understand him. She thought he was entitled to...but that was _all_ he was entitled to.

"When I arrived in New Orleans, I made the Ancestors a deal," began to smirk Lucien, "Upon my request, they would grant me access to the Regent and in exchange, I'd provide for them a world without the Originals. Didn't take much convincing. They do despise your family," he glanced at Freya. "I just never expected to run into you, Maleny - Cecilia."

"I'm not her," Maleny whispered firmly. "And you can forget this plan of yours is actually going to work."

Lucien chuckled and continued to walk some more. Eventually, he came to a stop in a small clearing and took in a deep breath. "We're here."

"Yeah, but where the hell is 'here' man?" Vincent asked in pure irritation.

Lucien pretended to gasp in shock as he turned to the man. "What? How disappointing! Two powerful witches who cannot sense when you're treading on hallowed ground?" Freya exchanged a look with Vincent, both in the dark of their location. Lucien sighed and glanced at Maleny. "Don't let me down now, Mal, you-"

" _Don't_ call me that," she snapped instantly.

"Do you know where we are? Recognize it at least?" Lucien tried again.

"It's Mystic Falls," she muttered, looking around at the of course familiar woods to her. It was the same one Klaus took her long ago to bury her curse's ashes.

"Why are we here?" frowned Freya.

"Because it's the place where it all began. Where Esther Mikaelson created the vampire species. Under the shade of the infamous white oak tree, she crafted the spell that turned each of her children. And I mean to replicate that spell. I have everything I need to become what I deserve to be."

"You want to become an Original?" Maleny inquired in horrification.

Lucien wagged a finger at her. "Do I look like the sort who'd settle for some shoddy Original model? I intend to be an _upgrade_. That's why you're here, my dear."

"To watch you _fail_?"

Lucien walked up to her with a menacing glower. Maleny gulped. "I intend you to watch as I grow far stronger than your Niklaus."

Yes, now Maleny was truly terrified of his intentions.

"You're insane to think I'd ever help you craft any spell," Freya spoke up to get him away from Maleny, and to lay it out in truth.

Lucien turned around with a small laughter. "Oh, no, no, no. You misunderstand. Vincent will handle the spell." He reached for her arm. "From you...I'm going to need something a bit more intimate." Freya swallowed hard once she realized where this was headed. "Vincent, hold Maleny back please," he said right before vamping-out and biting into Freya's wrist.

~ 0 ~

Everyone remaining at the compound intently watched a video of Vincent left behind for Davina to see at St. James infirmary. Davina had taken it to them, along with Kol, in order for them to know what was truly going on considering no one had yet to figure out the true plan.

 _"Davina, listen... I know we are not on the best of terms, but I need you to listen to me, okay? Um, we're in serious trouble. Now, I'm recording this here because it's-it's free from magic, and magic is our enemy. The Ancestors got me on the hook doing some pretty twisted magic, and I want no part of it, but they're forcing me to help Lucien Castle. And, if you don't help me, Freya Mikaelson's gonna die. Before they forced me to take her, they had me put up a cloaking spell, so we can't be tracked. Now, Lucien's taking us out of town someplace, I don't know where... but there's a loophole."_

Elijah paused the video for the tenth time and shook his head, still blaming himself for being so oblivious to the reality set before them. Lucien had bested them and they were only now realizing it?

Meanwhile, Finn was pretty upset to know he was somehow going to be used in the future plan. "Just how am I the loophole?"

Kol, who still wanted nothing to do with him, forced himself to explain. "Last year, when Esther first brought us back, I got put in the body of a gormless twit, but you got housed in one of the most powerful witch bodies in the city - Vincent's. And, even after all this time, there's still an echo of a body-soul connection between you two."

"Play the video again," Davina instructed Elijah who did as told without word.

 _"And Davina, that's where you come into play. I need a powerful witch that's off the Ancestors' radar."_ During this time, Vincent had sliced his palm to leave some of his blood behind for Davina. _"I want you to find the thread between me and Finn."_

"This is crazy," Cami was the one to pause the video and turn to Davina. "Have you done anything like this before?"

"I don't even know if it's possible," Davina admitted, holding up the vial left behind by Vincent.

Nicolas strode in with a look of utter death, finally matching one of his father's. "Oh, it's possible," he made a beeline for Davina and the vial, "and we're gonna do it. We can take uncle Finn's blood and do the spell right and that should be able to track Vincent down."

Finn was nowhere pleased to hear of this but if it meant for his sister Freya, well, he wouldn't disagree. "I should have sensed something was wrong when Freya didn't call. Now Lucien has a head start."

"Oh not for long," Nicolas promised him that. "Marls is already figuring out how to rip his head off."

"I think it's better if Marlenie stays here," Elijah said as a first thought. "As well as you-"he pointed to Nicolas and Cami, "-while Finn and I go."

"You're going with him?" blinked Kol. "So, the two people responsible for not destroying the white oak when they had the chance, thus putting us in this bloody mess, are now off to try and fix it. That's just marvelous. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?"

"Easy there Kol," Cami gave him a look, not too pleased with this idea either but, she knew she didn't know much about Lucien and was therefore only going to be a leverage for him. "You can help Davina and Nicolas with this spell."

"We could use your help," Davina said to Kol and took his hand, once again becoming concerned over his rage.

"I have my mother's and grandmother's spell books downstairs," Nicolas said to the two, gesturing the way out in case they wanted to get a head start. Davina nodded and took with her Kol before more tension brewed.

Before Nicolas followed, he face Elijah now, wearing his true emotions on his sleeve. "So when exactly are we going to inform my father that Lucien took my mother?"

Elijah dreaded the conversation with Nicolas since he already had the same talk with Marlenie - who once again proved she had all of Niklaus Mikaelson's rage. Throwing chairs, vases and almost a door, Marlenie had not convinced Elijah that they needed to tell Klaus what was truly going on. It was ridiculous - she had said - that Klaus was not to know. Still, Elijah did not sway from his stance and he warned Marlenie to follow his orders. Without either parent, Marlenie had to identify Elijah as the next authority...if she wanted to continue living at the compound. Marlenie could be what she wanted, but her love and loyalty to her family was enormous.

"I had to think about it carefully..." Elijah began, rubbing his temple, "...and...I decided it would be better if Niklaus didn't know about this...just yet."

Nicolas' eyes went wide with the shock. "WHAT!? Uncle Elijah, you _cannot_ be serious?"

"But I am. Your father and Hayley have found another lead to what Lucien has been up to and we need him to help Hayley search. She cannot do it alone."

"He has a right-"

"I agree," Elijah clarified. Of course he knew Klaus should know the whereabouts of Maleny, but at the moment it was just going to cause another problem. "If I were to tell Klaus, then he would undoubtedly leave Hayley and Hope to come back here-"

"Naturally," Nicolas crossed his arms, still wearing a deep scowl across his face.

"But he would not make it in time, if we are thinking logically," Elijah gave his nephew a stern look. He had learned that unlike his sister, Nicolas was a bit more calculating and logical...something Elijah wasn't sure where the man had inherited from. Neither Klaus nor Maleny were as astute and put together like Nicolas. "And while Niklaus makes his way to Maleny, he leaves Hayley to the task of searching on her own which is impossible to do even with her hybrid abilities. Neither Maleny nor Hayley benefit."

Nicolas raised his head, clearly thinking about it himself to see if what Elijah was saying made sense. He hated to admit that it _did_. "My parents love each other...and it wouldn't be fair that some jealous twit takes my mother away."

"Lucien will _not_ harm your mother, I swear," Elijah came up to Nicolas, setting a hand on Nicolas' shoulder. "Apart from Maleny being someone important to Klaus, she has always been like a little sister to me. She won't be harmed, I give you my word."

Nicolas had no choice but to give in. "Okay. I won't tell Dad anything. But Marlenie..."

"I have already taken care of your sister..."

"How many things did she break?" Nicolas asked with a hint of amusement. He too had learned that Marlenie's temper had only gotten worse through her years.

Elijah raised his eyebrows. "Lets just say that Maleny's old room...needs to be refurnished."

~ 0 ~

Lucien shoved Freya to the ground after retrieving the amount of blood he needed from her. Maleny made to run for the witch but Lucien blocked the way, almost challenging her to keep going.

"If you wanted to kill me you would've done it by now," she pushed past him and bent down beside Freya.

Lucien smirked at her back before heading for where the basin they'd set up was.

"Freya," Maleny held Freya's wrists to see them overly injured. Without hesitation, she moved to bite her own in order to help Freya heal. However, there Lucien had to draw the line. He sped up behind Maleny and aggressively pushed her away. Maleny landed on her back with a thud. "What's it to you if I heal her!? You know we're not gonna do anything anyways?"

"Can't give you everything, my dear," Lucien wagged his finger at her once more. "I'm not the idiotic Nik who succumbs to those eyes. You will stay there unless you want me to make a move on poor Freya that she might not survive."

Maleny glowered but did not move from her spot, not even to stand.

Lucien then gestured for Vincent to get started as well. "There's a spell that needs doing, lest the Ancestors melt that precocious little brain of yours." He pulled out a vial of reddish-orangish fluid from his pocket and dumped its contents into the basins to mix with Freya's blood.

"Wh-what's that?" Maleny had been able to see the strange vial and frowned.

"That's not exactly need to know," he waved her off and then mixed in the two liquids together. He pulled out a small moleskin notebook from his other pocket and handed it to Vincent. "This part's all you."

With a glower, Vincent opened the notebook and went through the pages. He came across the spell that indeed took several pages. It wasn't long before he realized what it was he was looking at. "This is it. This is the spell that created the Originals."

"Took an entire coven ages to reverse-engineer it," Lucien smugly shared that information. "And then, I had to get my hands on this." He then took out the remaining white oak bullet and dropped it into the basin to mix with the liquids.

Vincent just had to laugh at how delirious this plan looked and sounded. "No. No way, man. I'm not doing this for you. Wh-" he felt a harsh pain at the sides of his head, no doubt from the Ancestors.

"Vincent!" Maleny scrambled to her feet as the young warlock doubled over in pain.

"Well," Lucien watched with high amusement, "seems the Ancestors beg to differ…"

"STOP IT!" Maleny cried franticaly as Vincent literally beat his own head from the pain he felt.

Then, like that, the pain stopped. The Ancestors had spoken.

"Now, get to work like a good chap," Lucien gestured for the basin and stepped back. Vincent sent an apologetic look towards Maleny and Freya as he moved forwards to conduct the spell.

"I can't believe you're actually going to do this," Maleny was literally incredulously staring at Lucien like she'd never seen someone like him. "After all this time, you just...want to become a _copy_ of an Original? What for? To be the top of the food chain or what?"

Lucien had enough and walked straight up to her, momentarily scaring her as he grabbed hold of her shoulders in a harsh manner. "You don't get it and you've lived somewhat like I have - like Tristan, Aurora and I have. The truth is, I used to think the Mikaelsons Gods... until my love was stolen, and our lives were taken by their compulsion."

"It's not their fault Cecilia was murdered," Maleny pushed his hands off her, boldly staring him in the eyes. " _Aurora_ murdered me. And besides, Cecilia was never there. It always just _me_."

"And because of you," Lucien chuckled at a light hearted memory, "When you revealed yourself to me, I actually considered stopping. I had Cecilia back-" he shrugged, "-I considered taking you away." But his smile faded and was replaced by a deep scowl. "But then your daughter showed up, and Aurora kidnapped you. And in the end Klaus swooped in and took you from me. There you go-" he mimicked with his hand, "-back with the Mikaelsons, your 'family'."

"They _are_ my family," argued Maleny. "And don't you forget that. I apologized, and you know that, but you know that it just wasn't meant to be. You and I...we weren't ever something."

"That's a lie," Lucien pointed, taking a step backwards. "Time was Cecilia hated Klaus and loved _me_ -" he gestured to himself. "The simple stable boy."

"My mind was awful - it was frazzled! Had I known who I was I wouldn't have ever allowed anything to happen-"

" _I_ was better!" Lucien's loud boom cut her off with a mild flinch. "For once it didn't matter what I was. But then it changed. The Mikaelsons left, and I was forced to become Klaus." He shook his head. "I couldn't even say goodbye to her. I left her on the ground, dead."

"She wasn't dead - I wasn't dead," Maleny closed her eyes, swallowing ever so hard. "And I'm sorry that you strove to be like Klaus-"

Lucien cut her off with a loud laugh. "Once free from the compulsion I realized they were not worthy of all that had been gifted to them. I decided, then, that I would become in flesh what I have always been- their better. I have engineered every second since into achieving this moment."

"Was the prophecy even real, then?" Maleny asked with a tint of weariness and resignation. She wasn't going to get through to him any moment soon.

"Oh, of course. When I found the prophecy foretelling the family's end, I knew it was true... and that I was its living embodiment. It is my rise that shall be their downfall."

Maleny stared at him for a long considerable time before whispering six words that did manage to affect him on some level. "The Stable boy really is gone."

~0~

"I'm sorry I know Maleny had it here somewhere," Cami looked through one of the many piles of boxes of dark objects in the basement of the compound. "Her share had the thing I know it did."

For their spell, they needed a specific bowl to enhance the strength of it. And it just so happened that it belonged to Kol once upon a time, which had been snatched by Klaus and had ultimately landed in the hands of Cami...before it was chucked into Maleny's half of the dark objects.

Kol had taken a good note of all the objects that were there and couldn't help the scowl that formed across his lips. "Hard to keep track of all your stolen goods?"

Cami knew what he was implying and rolled her eyes. "Kol, my family did not steal these. They just kept the very deadly toys _you_ left strewn about this city from falling into even deadlier hands. If it wasn't for Mal, you would have never seen these again."

"You know what, love? I'm here now. So, maybe I should take back what's mine."

"I'd like to see you try," Cami boldly stood her ground. "These don't belong to you anymore, Kol. They're Nicolas' now, and when the time comes, they'll be Hope's as well."

Kol scoffed loudly, and rudely. "We'll see about that!" and without warning, his face vamped out, leaving Cami startled.

"Kol! Get out!" Davina called from across the room where she and Nicolas were conducting the same search.

Kol's face returned to normal fast, and embarrassed, sped out of the room.

"I'm sorry," Davina then said to the blonde. "I think he's getting used to being a vampire again. I'm sure you can relate."

Cami gave her a skeptical look. "Yeah... _If_ that's his problem."

Davina frowned. Cami went back to searching, and when she glanced at Nicolas, Davina saw he was pretty much in the same state as the blonde. "What did that mean?" she meant for both.

Cami sighed, stopping the search for a moment. "I've seen that look before, Davina. My uncle... after he was cursed."

Davina's instinct was to laugh at the absurdity of the idea. "Kol's not cursed. I'd be able to tell."

Now it was Nicolas' turn to laugh. Upon her sharp look, he stopped and turned to her, still with traces of laughter. "I'm sorry, love, but you're what? 20? That's nothing on what I've seen. Dahlia had taught me well - I'll give her that - and if the ancestors have allowed all this to happen, I've got no doubt they could have interfered with your spell."

Davina frowned. "Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because I hadn't realized it, clearly. But we might want to get on that as soon as my Mum is back home."

Davina watched him determinedly search through that box and the next, but her mind was suddenly filled with the ideas that Kol could be suffering more than just a blood lust problem.

~0~

After much searching, Nicolas found the object they had been searching for, which turned out to be an old bowl. He and Cami took the bowl back upstairs while Davina and Kol prepared the spell. Cami had the nice, boring job of watching over Nicolas and so naturally began to look around the room. There were several of Nicolas' belongings in the room since he had been searching long and hard for an answer and ultimately Cami came across a leather bound book.

"What's this?" she picked it up out of curiosity.

Nicolas gave a brief glance at it. "My notes on the area involving any supernatural occurrences. I've been doing research on everything I can and since we've been dealing with the Ancestors and basically some pretty dark magic..."

"You've been cataloging people," Cami said distastefully, her eyes briefly looking up from the journal to throw a scolding look at him...not that he quite cared. "I see my name here too!"

"Yeah, well your family's had some interesting background with supernatural beings. Honestly, it's a miracle you lived to tell the story of my family."

"Ha, ha," Cami playfully rolled her eyes and continued passing the pages. "How come you have Vincent in here too?"

"Because he's my special case," Nicolas smirked for a moment. "He's done some pretty dark things, man. Makes you kinda understand why the Ancestors would pick him to do whatever Lucien wants."

"What...what _is_ this stuff?" Cami frowned at the notes she was now reading.

"It's stuff you wouldn't understand because you're not a witch but trust me, it's some pretty useful stuff I plan to use very soon."

Cami shut the book and curiously stared at Nicolas. "Are you planning something no one knows yet?"

With the smirk on Nicolas' face, Cami was sure of the answer. "The Ancestors may be defeatable after all."

"Then why are we here?" Cami put the book down and gestured to the spell's ingredients on the table. "Why aren't we doing this little plan of yours already?"

"Because we need Vincent of course," Nicolas shrugged. "And I still need to work out the clinks."

"You're a bit reserved for a Mikaelson," Cami concluded after a moment.

Nicolas smirked. "That trait is all me," he said proudly.

~ 0 ~

Only able to watch Vincent cast the horrible spell was agonizing for both Maleny and Freya - both of whom remained separated by Lucien's demand. Vincent let the white oak bullet he held drop into the basin, and the moment it made contact a furious flame erupted. Vincent was forced back as the flames danced to form a miniature tornado.

The spell had been successful.

When the flame ceased it sent a powerful blow that threw Vincent against a tree. Lucien laughed with triumph and hurried up to the basin where there was now a spigot of sorts at the bottom of it. He pulled an empty bottle from from his jacket's pocket and filled it with the new mixture of blood. When done, he turned around to the two blondes terrifyingly watching him.

Maleny made a move towards him but Lucien wagged a threatening finger. "I wouldn't," he warned coldly. For the moment, Maleny remained still.

Just as Lucien went to take some blood for himself, Vincent attacked with a pain infliction spell. He fell to his knees, unable to move much. Vincent did his best to keep spell going, and stronger too, but seconds later the Ancestors struck. He felt a terrible pain start at his back, forcing him to drop the spell. He was pretty sure bones were cracking somewhere there.

Maleny snapped her head in his direction, horrified at the sight. But she also saw Lucien once again venturing to take the bottle he'd dropped during the spell. The Ancestors left Vincent with a drop and relieved some of her worries. However, Lucien was now furious at them. He got up from the ground, hand clutching the bottle, and stormed towards them.

Maleny sped in front Vincent and blocked the way. "I don't think so." Lucien stopped a few feet from her, looking curious of her next actions. "You're gonna have to kill me now because there is no way I'm letting you hurt my friends."

A wicked smirk spread across his lips, mocking her attempted rescue. "Today is the beginning of an awful lot of death-"

"Fine, then start with _mine_ -" Maleny moved up to him, defying him much to his bemusement. "Go on, do it." True she was pretty terrified but she had faith - her very last ounce in him - that he wouldn't kill her. Almost to defy her challenge, or at least pretend to, Lucien grasped her wrist, pulling her forwards just slightly.

"Lucien?" called to Elijah, much to both of their surprises. Hearing the Original nearby, Lucien made up his mind fast and turned at vampire-speed with Maleny in a choke-hold, seeing Elijah, Finn and Matt Donovan there. "Oh... Just in time for the party, lads!"

"Elijah, don't let him drink it!" Maleny tried to say but it was too late, with one flick of the bottle's cap, Lucien had drank down the liquid and swallowed. Maleny pushed herself away in time to see him throw the now-empty bottle to the side. "Let the fun begin! Can either of you get to me faster than I can rip your darling sister's head off?" Maleny took a step backwards, making him chuckle. "Didn't think so."

Finn didn't give a warning and went for a more indirect attack strategy. He snatched Matt's gun to fire three bullets at Lucien.

Lucien looked down at his chest in surprise, chuckling even more. Maleny gasped, covering her mouth in true surprise. "Oh, you clever bastard!" and he fell to his knees, desiccating as he hit the ground.

The main priority then fell to Freya, who was the weakest of all. It appeared she was trying to tell them something but due to her fragile state it was not until she drank enough blood that she was able to speak properly. Even then, Maleny was a bit preoccupied with Lucien's 'corpse' on the ground.

"Hey, blonde - step away from him," Matt took quick aim on Maleny.

Elijah looked up and, for the first time, agreed with Matt. "Maleny, get back!"

Maleny whipped her head back to him. "This was far too easy, don't you see? It was a mistake - you should not have killed him."

"Are you actually defending him-" Finn didn't get to finish his accusation when Freya jumped in to explain Maleny's words.

"Lucien drank the serum. He wanted you to kill him. You helped him take the final step…"

And to showcase what both blondes had meant, Elijah looked past them as Lucien practically came back from the dead looking stronger than ever. He began developing double-fangs, much to everyone's horror, and glowing bright red eyes while the usual vampiric veins stretching down his face. Matt aimed his gun at Lucien again and began to fire.

Lucien laughed as the wounds barely did justice to the gun. As quick as they made a mark on his skin the faster they disappeared. Instead, he moved at a super new speed and backhanded Matt so hard the poor human was knocked unconscious within the second.

Elijah jumped in to defeat the man but only got a couple of punches before he too was knocked down. Finn's turn was even worse, as he barely got to lunge when Lucien struck him by the chin that sent Finn flying back on the ground. Attempting again to fight, Elijah rose and sped towards Lucien only to be kicked back on the chest.

"What do you think, Elijah? This new power- it suits me, no?" Lucien had himself a good laugh and snatched Elijah by his coat's lapels. "I've pondered this... whom to end first, you or Klaus? I had thought him. But now that I'm here, I think it should be _you_." Just as he was about to bite Elijah, Finn sped towards Lucien on the side and punched him, causing a momentary disorientation where Elijah was left to the ground. Lucien, looking more annoyed than injured, stalked up to Finn and successfully bit him on the neck as hard as possible.

The basin used for the spell was crashed over Lucien's head, now causing him to let go of Finn. Maleny stumbled backwards, looking shocked over the happenings. Her fingers trembled as the reached to cover her mouth. Lucien turned in a calmly swaying manner towards her.

"Maleny," he said her name with such amusement it just terrified her even more. " _Cecilia_ …" he started walking towards her, and with each step he took she backtracked.

"Th-that's not me…"

"I don't care what you want to be called."

"St-stay back…" Maleny extended a hand forwards as he grew closer. Suddenly she wasn't sure if she was still on the exempt list of his death spree.

There was a sadistic smile on his face that made Maleny even more unsure. He reached inside his jacket's pocket to pull out the first bottle he'd filled up from the spigot. She squeaked when her back hit a tree trunk. "You have _one_ chance-" Lucien raised a finger, "-to make it better. Drink this Maleny-" he held the bottle towards her, making her eyes pop wide, "-and become stronger than any one of these Originals."

The wheels in Maleny's mind were turning faster than they ever had before. She gulped, eyes meeting his. "You...y-you want m-me-" she pointed at herself, "to drink _that_?"

"You were like me, Maleny, pushed around and belittled, thrown into the world of curses and vampires and witches. You and I are more alike than you realize-"

"I am _not_ like you!" Maleny snapped, forgetting her fear for that moment to rebut that statement. "I am _nothing_ like you! And I'm not taking that!"

Lucien tried his best to hide his impatience with her. "Think about it, Maleny! You and I...we could be something better than everyone else. Niklaus would never be able to protect you the way _I_ can-"

"Protect me?" Maleny's eyebrows shot up to show her incredulous expression. "When exactly have you protected me? Before or after you kidnapped me? And even before that you've insulted me, remember?"

"Maleny, I'm offering you the best deal you could ever make in your life. We can be the strongest immortals that ever walked this land." Lucien reached to brush some of her hair from her face, making her cringe a bit. "I would love you, like no one has ever done in your existence."

"You don't love me-" Maleny swatted his hand from her face. "You loved _Cecilia_ and she's _gone_! I'm not taking the serum!"

"Take it!" Lucien lost his little facade of patience.

"No!"

"Don't be an idiot, Maleny, and take it! Join me!"

"I don't want-"

"Just do it!"

"I SAID NO!" Maleny screamed in his face, losing herself as well. She panted and with widened eyes stared at him. "I made a mistake before with you, and I will never make it again."

Lucien retracted a step from her, his eyes filling with a newfound hatred for her. Or was that jealousy? Pain? Maleny couldn't tell.

"Your _family_ -" he spat, pointing at her, "-is about to die. _All_ of them. Beginning with Klaus." Giving his final warning, he sped out of the area.

Maleny trembled as if she had suffered a severe injury - like Finn - and with teary eyes she looked at the rest, each of them focused on their own personal injuries.

~ 0 ~

Hayley finished helping the most recent freed werewolf (from Lucien's clutches in his offices) when she saw Klaus hanging up from a new updating phone call. When she was sure the werewolf had made it safely outside, she returned to him to find out what had recently happened with their family. Klaus seemed beyond furious yet at the same time worried.

"So?" she crossed her arms, speaking quietly in case any of the werewolves lingered by. "What happened?"

"Lucien took some sort of serum that has made him into something else. Additionally, it appears that my brother thought it fit to not inform me that Lucien had also taken Maleny and not just Freya."

Hayley's eyes widened. "IS she okay-"

"Both Maleny and Freya are safe but Maleny is...shaken," and by the looks of it so was Klaus. He could not believe that Elijah had purposely not told him about Maleny's state and yet proceeded to still not tell him what exactly Lucien had done to Maleny. "Finn's in a bad way. Some kind of werewolf bite. Elijah thinks I should return home and heal him. Ease his pain."

Hayley let a smirk at the corner of her lips start. "Finn? Or Mal? Cos I'm pretty sure you're all for letting Finn suffer on his own."

"Well…" Klaus tilted his head, showing just a bit of his signature smirk.

Hayley rolled her eyes. "Just go and see Mal. I can take care of the rest here. But, you know, we shouldn't waste an opportunity to make Finn an ally."

Klaus seemed interested in this new concept. "Can you take care of this?" he gestured to the nearly empty place.

"Definitely. We've scoured everything we needed. Just go," Hayley nodded him to get going. With a seemingly grateful look, which was novelty for Hayley, Klaus made a hasty departure from the building.

~ 0 ~

Maleny and Elijah carried in a far weakened Finn into the compound while Freya walked closely behind. When Cami saw this from upstairs, she sped down to ease the load and help Elijah. Finn was losing his conscious, shouting incoherently while being put down on a couch in the downstairs living room.  
"Don't leave me in here! Don't leave me alone!"

Freya tried to soothe him, hoping to get him to see he was home again. "Hey, hey, hey. You're not alone, Finn. I'm here."

Finn siezed Elijah's wrist when the man tried to walk around. "Don't leave…"

"Why is he talking like that?" Cami couldn't help give Finn an odd look.

"It's hallucinations of our betrayal. It's his nightmare," Elijah answered rather uncomfortably under her eyes.

Kol walked into the room in a mighty calm manner, despite hearing his brother's anguish and pain. "Well, I don't know who looks worse - Finn or Mal?"

"Shut up," Maleny spoke up just to scold him.

"Mum!" she heard Nicolas' call and was quick to see him rushing in. She stumbled back with his hug but held him tight.

"Mum, thank God!" Marlenie came in with a full blow and almost made them both all back with her hug. Maleny couldn't help chuckle at them, both being a bit taller than her made quite the sight.

Kol rolled his eyes at them and looked at Finn. "So how about Finn? Werewolf bite. That's got to hurt, mate. So, Lucien's a bloody hybrid?"

Elijah sighed. "We don't know what he is. His venom seems to work twice as fast."

"That's good. Maybe it'll work through his system twice as fast," Freya tried to keep optimistic.

"Or it's twice as lethal," Kol shrugged. "Now, if Niklaus doesn't get here in time, he might die. With a bit of luck."

Freya was not going to stand for those sorts of jokes. She got up and marched up to punch him, and when she did he vamped-out on her, appalling her. "What is _wrong_ with you!?"

"Freya, leave him!" Cami cut in quick, gently bringing the other blonde back. "He's...not himself…" she left it at that.

Klaus came in with quite a hurry, and immediately found his blonde. Their twins stepped aside to allow him to hug her. He kissed her hair and held her tight for a minute which he thought was pretty short - but for others whose time was limited it was far too long.

"Guys?" Cami felt the need to interrupt by gesturing to Finn.

"Give me one good reason," was all Klaus had to say, while still holding onto Maleny.

"Klaus," Maleny looked up at him. "Lucien...he's not the same anymore. It can be twice as painful now…" She still wasn't in favor of Finn, but she wasn't for letting him suffer at the hands of Lucien.

"Our brother needs us," Elijah sent him a warning look. The last thing they needed was another Kol-remark spree.

Klaus took one look at Finn and saw how horrid he was looking. Of course he knew he couldn't leave him like that and walked towards the couch. "Fine," he muttered and rolled up his sleeve and bit into his wrist for Finn to feed on.

Finn took as much as he needed, and when his skin began turning back to normal, he let go. "Thank you, brother."

Freya returned to his side. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel... strangely euphoric."

Klaus smirked. "I've been known to have that effect." And, of course being who he was, he spared a glance Maleny's way.

Her look expressed a deep _no_.

"What a precious family moment. Pardon me while I go and gouge out my eyes with a hot poker," Kol frowned.

"I thank even you, Kol," Finn said, against his primal instincts. "Your little witch actually came through."

"Ahem," Marlenie crossed her arms. "I believe someone else helped there too."

"And Nicolas," Finn amended, giving a formal nod of thanks towards the warlock. "Today... I saw a glimpse of your coveted 'Always and Forever'. And... I…" but he suddenly raged into a coughing fit which caused him to throw himself over the edge of the couch. As he coughed he released a decent amount of blood.

"Finn! Oh, what's happening?" Elijah rushed forwards as did the rest.

In no time Finn had returned to the same state he was in when he was originally brought to the compound.

"What's wrong with him?" frowned Cami.

"His body, it's dying…" Freya realized in horror.

"No! No, it's not possible!" Klaus exclaimed, shaking his head. "I cured him!"

Finn grunted as he felt the pain coursing through his body once again. "Freya-"

"Hey! It's going to be all right, brother," Freya assured him. "We'll fix this, you'll see. Okay?" she glanced at the others. "Get my pendant!"

It was now that Kol panicked for real. "It won't work! Davina fused his soul to his body."

Marlenie's eyes widened. "Damn, she got him good," she whispered, but was still perfectly heard by her mother who then gave her the scolding look only a mother would give.

"We've got to try!" Freya frantically said. "There's no Other Side! No Ancestral well if he dies."

"No, get your bloody girlfriend back here to undo what she's done!" Klaus ordered Kol who was still now shaken. "Finn, you will drink from the source until Freya can move you." And just as he was about to bite his wrist again, Finn called for a stop.

"No. Don't leave me alone!"

Freya grabbed Finn's hand and squeezed it, reassuring him he was not alone again. Elijah then took his other hand while Klaus moved to stand beside as well. Finn cracked a weak smile at the three as he realized - for the first time - he was not alone.

"Brother? Finn? Hey, brother, we're here," Freya whispered to him. "We are here. I'm here, brother."

"Kol," Maleny whispered to the youngest Original, tilting her head at him. Kol had been feeling guilty anyways, but he had to agree that he didn't want Finn to go like that. He walked towards the couch, putting a hand on Finn's leg to let him know he was there as well.

"You are not alone," Freya repeated for Finn as she saw him beginning to lose it. "I am here. I am here. I am here with you. Okay? I'm with you."

Although standing on the other side, Maleny, Cami and the twins clearly saw Finn's skin completely desiccating and turning gray. In a matter of seconds, Finn was gone again.

~ 0 ~

"You've got some nerve calling me, Davina Claire," Nicolas walked into St. James Infirmary later that night. Davina had been waiting for him inside, and hearing him she rose from her stool to face him. "Do you know what you did to my family... _again_?" Davina gave him an odd, but dreadful, look. "You locked my uncle's soul to his vampiric body and now because of Lucien, he died. For good now. So whatever the hell you want from me you can forget it. Like my sister, I finally can openly say I _hate_ you."

Davina understood the big drawback of that plan from earlier, but when she saw him turn to leave she couldn't help call for his help. It was just worth it. "Please don't go, I need your help for Kol."

"I doubt uncle Kol needs my help," Nicolas rolled his eyes and continued to leave.

"Please, the Ancestors are messing with everyone and right now you're the only witch free from them and with sufficient knowledge and power. Kol is being manipulated by them too."

This piqued his interest. Nicolas stopped by the threshold and turned sideways. "What are you talking about?"

Davina sighed and explained. "I tested his blood. It's infused with their magic, which means they corrupted the spell I used to bring him back. They couldn't get to me, so they're making him lose control. You and Cami were right before and I don't know what I do."

"Clever tricks I'll admit," Nicolas remarked and saw Davina's teary eyes. "Pity won't work on me, Davina. I was raised by Dahlia."

"But you have Maleny's personality, and unlike Klaus and Marlenie you wouldn't turn me away when I truly need help."

The look on Nicolas' face told Davina she was on the right track. He rolled his eyes but sighed in defeat. "You wanna know what your problem is? What this entire coven's problem is?" Davina waited for the answer silently. "It's your damn _Ancestors_! I mean, you respect them and worship them but all they seem to do is use you guys like their personal puppets."

Davina looked down and nodded. Every word he was saying was true.

"But if you dare to disobey, then you get shunned," Nicolas gestured to Davina as the prime example. "Or worse, you get killed. And let me tell you, Davina Claire, that if you don't act soon, they're gonna kill you and everyone else they dislike. At least Dahlia had something right - her magic was never bound by Ancestors which is why she was so difficult to defeat.

"What...are you saying?" Davina blinked with widened eyes.

"You want my help? Then here it is: we have to stop the Ancestors for good. I think I know the way. We just need Vincent Griffin's help."

~ 0 ~

"Mum, you really should get some rest now," Marlenie walked into the upstairs lounge room with a small white blanket.

"I'm not sleeping until they get back," Maleny took the blanket from her daughter and placed it on her lap. She was sitting and waiting for the Mikaelsons to return from their private funeral for Finn. They'd of course been asked to go but Maleny felt it wasn't her place and that her feelings for Finn, while accepting he did deserve a little better than what he got, were still not on the level where she could openly wish him eternal peace.

Strangely, or not so strangely, Klaus understood perfectly.

"Are you okay?" Marlenie sat down across her on the same couch, tilting her head and discreetly checking Maleny for any injuries like Finn's.

"He didn't bite me," Maleny eased her concerns. She placed an elbow on the top of the couch and rested her cheek on her palm. "Lucien didn't even touch me. He wouldn't."

"The faith you have in him scares me," Marlenie admitted. "And I don't scare easily."

"In his own wicked way, Lucien does feel something for me," Maleny tried to explain in the easiest way possible. Marlenie gagged and stuck her tongue out. "It's just toxic, because I...led him down that road…"

"No, Mum you are not gonna sit here and blame yourself for that guy's history-" Marlenie furiously pointed out.

"I'm not blaming myself, I'm just laying out the facts. His love for Cecilia paved the way for some of his pain. And then it didn't help that Elijah and Klaus decided to compel them as their decoys." Maleny shook her head. "Even _I_ would've been a little upset that someone took time out of my life for them."

"Okay, so maybe he didn't have it easy, but none of that justifies anything. He can rot in hell - and actually, very soon he's gonna find himself there."

"Spoken like my truest daughter," Klaus appeared at the threshold, giving her what seemed like a proud smirk.

"Good, you're all here," Nicolas strode in confidently. "I may have an idea on how to defeat the Ancestors but I'm going to need to speak with some other witches and warlocks before I can do anything."

"What do you have in mind?" Maleny eyed her son's confidence with a bit of concern.

"My idea involves Vincent but I can't just come out with an idea that may not work and I specifically need witches who aren't in the Ancestors' radar-"

"My warlock!" Marlenie exclaimed suddenly. "He's definitely not in the Ancestors' radar! You could talk with him and plan together if you'd like."

"Where do you have a warlock from?" Klaus raised an eyebrow at her.

"He was my friend remember? I tried bringing him here a while back but...since it got dangerous I thought maybe it was better to leave him and my other friend outside the city's limit. Nick and I can go tonight if he wants-"

"You're not leaving this compound anymore," Maleny shook her head.

"No offence, Mom, but right now I think I'm way at the bottom of Lucien's hitlist," Marlenie patted her on the arm. "If anything right now is our perfect chance to get out of the Quarter."

"I'm impressed by your strategies, Marls," Klaus admitted. "I think it's wise to get you and Nicolas out of here before Lucien gets anymore funny ideas. The farther the better."

"We should only going to be gone for a day," Marlenie informed her parents.

"And we _are_ coming back," Nicolas left it clear for them as well. "We've no intention of leaving you - either of you - ever again. C'mon, Marls."

Marlenie nodded and followed her brother out of the room.

"I don't suppose you have a clever way of keeping them away for longer than a day?" Maleny inquired from Klaus soon as the twins were gone.

"I'm sure we can think of something together," Klaus came and took Marlenie's spot on the couch. His hands immediately found Maleny's and he tugged her closer to him. "Had I known that Lucien had taken you I would have come to you."

"I know that," Maleny assured. "And frankly, I think Elijah did the right thing by not telling you. You and Hayley managed to uncover things that I'm sure Hayley would've never done on her own. You were a team. Besides, Elijah was a good big brother who came to help."

Klaus still didn't agree with Elijah's choice. If Maleny is ever in trouble then he had a right to know, didn't he? He needed to protect her, period. "Did he hurt you?" his question came out in a whisper. He dragged his hands down her arms to see for himself whether or not Lucien had dared to touch her.

"No," Maleny replied. "Physically, he barely touched me. The most was when he snapped my neck outside the compound to take me."

Apparently it was enough to enrage Klaus. "I'm gonna kill him, I swear to you I am going to do it."

"I've no doubt we'll figure a way to do so," Maleny draped her hands over his shoulders. "But...you should know, he...tried to get me to drink that serum thing," she crinkled her nose just as she remembered said bottle. "He wanted me to become like him."

At this point, Klaus wasn't exactly sure how to feel about that one. Was he mad as hell? Was he going to kill Lucien as soon as possible? Or...was he a little bit afraid Maleny might have considered this new possibility? All this showed on his face.

"I said no," Maleny chuckled lightly. "In case you were wondering. I told you I know what I want, and nowhere does that include turning into some...freaky monster. Much less being with someone that is not _you_."

Her words caused a gradual relaxation, especially with the look on her eyes. Klaus brushed his fingers across her cheek, eliciting a warm smile from her. "Do you know how much I missed you?" Those were novelty words and Klaus knew it, yet it was how he felt.

Maleny's eyebrows rose with a cheeky smile as she leaned closer. "And just what did you miss from me exactly?"

"Your eyes, for starters," Klaus began his list, just going with it for a moment. He brought his fingers to gently stroke over her lips, but not before pulling Maleny right over his lap. "Those lips...that amuse me...and beguile me…"

"Are you being sentimental?" Maleny couldn't help laugh a little, making him roll his eyes. "Oh now this is a sight to see," and she planted a kiss on his lips without a warning.

What was meant to be just one random kiss had not been on Klaus' mind, as he put one hand on the back of her head he made it clear he had entirely missed her and that it was no joke. Maleny was enthralled with their reunion and let it continue for as long as they could. When Klaus pulled away - both mildly out of breath - he slowly moved a hand down the side of her body.

"I missed _everything_ about you," he clarified, inching closer to her lips again.

When Maleny felt his fingers begin brushing down her thighs, a smirk started at the corner of her lips. "Would you like a reminder then?"

"Wouldn't hurt," he pecked her lips, causing her smirk to turn into a widened, laughing smile. He pressed another kiss to her lips, and when he saw she was just as on board as he was, he didn't waste a breath on words and sped them out of the living room.

For that single night they would forget about their problems.

Because, oh, they were coming.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

This was definitely one of my favorite chapters to write omg! We're nearing the final chapters of this story can you guys believe it? Just a note that I have gone back to school now (which would explain my tardiness in updating) so this is just a fair warning that sometimes my updating will take a little longer!

 **For the Review:**

Thank you! And it's totally okay of having least liked characters, comes with the read job xD. Yeah that does seem to be a recurring theme for dear ole Mal & Klaus huh? I think they're so far my tragic otps that I've written *starts to think more*. Really? I'm so glad to hear you like this new Lucien arc I introduced. I was always a little nervous writing it out because it was just different, so I'm glad to hear it came out well! And well, as we saw, Lucien only really wanted Maleny to give her like a last chance of being together. Yikes Mal! Yeah I get what you mean. In the beginning with was a sort of Mal&Cami duo but as we progress they sort of have their own issues to deal with. Plus with each episode, it's hard to keep them all happy and together. At least we all know that eventually, our little supernatural family will get some happiness.

* * *

Soo...if we recall the next episode Aurora is set to return and at the end...someone...gets...bitten...On the show it was Cami...will that change? Will it just not happen? I guess we'll just have to wait and see ;)


	15. All Chained Up & Fighting

Maleny felt quite comfortable under the covers. Her pillow was soft and overall it was quite warm in the room. She was awake, but not so much as to get up from bed and get dressed.

But then came a fierce knock on the bedroom door.

Maleny scrunched her already-shut eyes more, hoping the nuisance would just go away or that at least Klaus would get up and take care of it.

"Niklaus? We have things to do," Elijah continued knocking, sounding really like he was about to barge into the room at any moment.

Sighing quietly, Maleny whispered, "Just open the damn door for him already."

But there came no noise at all.

Maleny sighed again and turned flat on her back, intending on smacking Klaus awake only to realize his side was empty. Her eyes snapped open and she sat upright, holding the covers to her bare chest. Placing a hand on his side she felt nothing but coldness, alerting her he was long gone.

Elijah kept knocking and knocking.

Seeing no one was going to tell him anything, she got out of bed. She snagged a sleeping robe and tied it around her body before going to answer the door. Elijah was midway knocking when she opened the door.

Elijah was surprised to find her in her current state. He coughed awkwardly and made a quick explanation. "We need to plan-"

"Well, you're going to have to do a bit more searching because your brother isn't here," Maleny stepped back and gestured to the empty room.

Elijah, confused, peered inside to find no one but her. "But where is he?"

"I don't know - I just woke up," Maleny shrugged. She crossed her arms and started walking further inside. "And it looks like he's been long gone."

"He should not leave the compound right now when Lucien is still out there." Elijah moved inside the room to see for himself of anything that could give a clue as to where Klaus had gone off to.

"I thought it would have been an obvious too," Maleny gave a light shrug and stopped by the bathroom. She peered inside and saw nothing out of the ordinary. "But I guess it must have been important."

"And idiotic," Elijah turned swiftly on his feet for the doors. "Get yourself dressed please, we have much things to do."

"Uh, sure," Maleny followed him to the door. "But you can't count on me to do the witch craft anymore, you know. I can hear Freya grumbling about the lack of spells from here."

"Anything we can get is good, Mal," Elijah said then walked away.

Maleny closed the door with lock and turned back, rushing for her cellphone left in her purse on the floor. She picked it up and checked for any missed calls from Klaus, but nothing appeared. "Where the hell are you?" she frowned and began to dial his number.

But the moment she did, she went straight to voicemail.

"Must have been really important then," she mumbled to herself and tossed the phone to the bed so that she could get dress as Elijah had wanted.

~ 0 ~

"How's it coming?" Cami walked into living room where Freya was currently checking for spells that could possibly work against Lucien. Freya spared her a brief, hard, look before returning to her read. "Got it," Cami smiled bashfully and turned in time to see Elijah coming in.

"Has Amarrah been warned?" he immediately asked.

"Yes," Cami plopped down the couch. "She knows not to go out unless she's with one of us and she's properly secured in her apartment. She's also looking for some way to help us with Lucien."

"Thank you," Elijah said and moved for Freya. "Now Vincent can't come to help because he's taking shelter at St. James. The Ancestors are persisting to use him as they wish."

"And Davina?" Cami inquired.

"Well, considering the Ancestors are also taking to terrorizing our brother Davina also has much on her plate."

"So I was right," Cami blinked. Of course she had very high suspicions about Kol's ravenous attitude but she was hoping that she was wrong.

~ 0 ~

Davina, Kol and Vincent were all sitting down at a table in St. James, discussing the Ancestors and Kol's situation.

"Try to remember. Your spirit was trapped with the Ancestors. Did they say anything?" Vincent asked Kol, much to the vampire's annoyance, for the second time.

Kol rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, it's hard to recall what anyone is saying when there's a boot in your face."

"Imagine when Davina brought you back. Did you hear voices? Spells? Chants? I don't know, a threat?"

"There wasn't any talk, all right?" Kol mildly snapped at the man who clearly didn't understand him. "They hate me because I'm a Mikaelson."

Davina sighed, showing mild sounds of frustrations towards Vincent. "What's the point of these questions?"

"The Ancestors made a deal with Lucien. That's an act of war. And now, they're coming after Kol," Vincent thought it was obvious why he was acting so grim. "If I knew why, then maybe I could convince them that there's a better way. Maybe I could talk some sense into 'em."

At this idea, Kol scoffed. "You make them sound like they're a committee of a sort. Reasonable people."

"The dead were once the living. All the living really want to do is avoid trouble and protect their own." Vincent tried to explain the best he could for them to understand. "I remember coming to Music Days when I was a kid. I-I remember all the covens gathering together. And no matter what your beef was with somebody else, well that one day, it was all good. And you could feel the presence of all those that came before. You could feel 'em watching. Peaceful. Now, every since vampires took over this city, those same spirits have been restless. And the covens will never know peace with the Mikaelsons living here. Now, my guess is the Ancestors see Lucien as a weapon. Use him on vampires, right? Use him on the family that begot them. And, if we're gonna stop that, somebody's gotta convince the Ancestors there's a better way."

"You know, Nicolas said something along those lines too," Davina thought to share, grasping both men's surprise looks instantly. "He thinks the Ancestors need to be _destroyed_ for all this to just stop. And that included you."

Vincent froze but never said anything.

Kol gave a tilt of his head. "First intelligent thing that boy says…"

Davina gave him a whack on the arm. "Be quiet, Kol. After everything he's trying to help you too."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Vincent rose from his chair to leave.

~ 0 ~

Freya was now busy sketching with a piece of charcoal a new sort of spell figurine. The coffee table was full of previous drafts as she now worked on what she hoped would be the final draft.

"Freya, we are out of time," Elijah said rather impatiently.

Freya shot him a narrowed-eyed look. "A sigil is a complicated magical symbol, weaponized and condensed to its most potent form. If I combine the right elements, we'll have a chance at stopping Lucien, and if I don't…"

"Then we know how it ends," Cami finished for her, now giving Elijah a look. "Seriously? Let her work."

"Hello!?" they heard the distinct voice of Amarrah Collins in the courtyard.

"What is she doing here?" Freya asked the two vampires who were already on their way out. However, Maleny and Hayley had beat them all to Amarrah.

"There is a _huge_ problem out there," Amarrah was already beginning to explain to Maleny and Hayley, a frantic thumb pointing back to the streets.

"Amarrah, you weren't supposed to leave your home anymore," Cami reminded as she hurried down the stairs.

"I know but it's important," Amarrah waved her off. "There's a rumor going on out there - a crypt has been re-opened."

"What crypt?" Maleny suddenly felt a whimsical churn of her stomach.

"A crypt that had just been closed up a couple weeks ago," Amarrah sighed. "A few of the witches are saying a vampire did it."

"What was in that crypt, exactly?" Hayley inquired, but Amarrah sighed and shook her head.

"No one knows. No one knows how it even got closed in the first place."

"It's the crypt we sealed Aurora in," Maleny said in terrible dread. "It's got to be…"

"But I don't understand, why would her crypt be broken-"

"Because I said no," Maleny cut Amarrah off, eyes darting from one person to the next as her mind fit in the pieces. "Lucien wanted me to drink that concoction of his and I screamed in his face that I would never do it. So, what happens when you want revenge?"

"You find someone who wants the same thing," Elijah sighed, rubbing a hand over his forehead. "And so now Lucien has brought Aurora back…"

"And we can't find Klaus," Maleny said as a fatal reminder.

Just then, Elijah's phone went off. As soon as he picked it up he saw a text message from Lucien that practically confirmed everyone's suspicions.

"Lucien is demanding my presence at the Whiskey Cask- alone and immediately. He says if I delay, Niklaus will die."

~ 0 ~

True to Lucien's warning, he did indeed have Klaus captive in his penthouse. Of course, he was no longer alone as Aurora de Martel had returned from her prison thanks to him. Being chained to supernatural shackles by the wrists was one thing, but to have to be in placed in a pseudo-crucifixion in the middle of the living room was another. It also didn't help to have the old Papa Tunde blade lodged in his chest either. At some point, Lucien made to retrieve the blade - in the most aggressive manner - and yanked it out from Klaus' chest. Almost immediately afterwards, Klaus began to pull at the restricting chains that hung off the ceiling.

"Those chains and that wood were crafted by Ancient Egyptians keen on suppressing all sorts of evil. Nothing supernatural can escape- not even you," Lucien was proud to say after a while of watching. "You see, I've been stockpiling such items for a long, long time. Planning this moment for centuries. Tell me- how does it feel, knowing you've been outdone by your better?"

There, Klaus had to genuinely scoff. "You think you're my better? I think your upgrade has infected your head, and made you as delusional as her. At least you're truly a pair. I'll be sure to scatter both your ashes in the same patch of bog."

Lucien raised his eyebrows and stepped back to where Aurora stood. "Is that a hint of fear in his voice?"

Aurora chuckled."Yeah."

"Usually your taunts and threats are so much more convincing."

"I think he's beaten, my darling. Just not yet broken," Aurora began as well, "But then, we're just getting started. All I have to do... is take this-" she picked up the small vial that would turn her into what Lucien was, "-and then I, too, shall be your better. Have you any idea what torment you'll endure then for what you did to my brother? And to me? I will take such exquisite joy in killing you myself."

Lucien seemed bemused and truly was. He still hated Aurora but at least he was sure where she stood. "Well, clearly you two have much to discuss. So, if you'll excuse me, I have business elsewhere. You may have your fun. But, please keep Nik alive. I would so hate to miss his death." He shot a look towards the hybrid who, nonetheless of his current situation, gave one back.

~ 0 ~

"Are you seriously going out there?" Cami was following Elijah towards the street. He was determined than ever to meet where Lucien had appointed to, and without anyone's help apparently.

"I'm seriously going out there," he stopped just before the magic barrier that prevented any vampire to enter without the new legal holder of the compound inviting them in.

"Elijah, the whole point of putting the deed to the compound in Freya's name was to make this place impenetrable. Now, you're gonna pick a fight with a guy who can kill you?" Cami wasn't sure if he was ignoring this important fact but she was determined to remind him.

"Yes, when you put it that way... It does sound a little reckless."

Cami tilted her head, her eyes full of nothing but concern for him. She understood why he was doing it, but it didn't mean she was very much content with it. "Just...please be careful?" she moved forwards and hugged him.

"I'll try my best," Elijah responded with nothing but the truth.

"Freya and I will be there right behind you," Cami warned before he got any ideas for her to 'stay put'. God knows how much he liked that one.

~ 0 ~

"I wonder... When you decided to brick me into that dreadful tomb, did it ever occur to you that our roles might one day be reversed?" Aurora stood tall and mighty in front of Klaus, the latter still mildly attempting going against his restraints. "I have to tell you, I simply cannot wait to see the rest of your family fall with you...starting with your insufferable Maleny."

There Klaus had to laugh. "We both know that Lucien could never bring himself to kill her." And for the moment he believed that to be the best advantage against Lucien.

Aurora scowled but played it off with a light chuckle. "So sure of yourself…"

"You know it too, it's something we share of knowledge. It's why we're here, haven't you realized? Maleny rejected him - for me - and so he went out for a second - that would be you - to serve as a replacement while coming after me. Although in retrospect he probably has a little more reasons to despise me."

Although slightly deflated from the truth, Aurora did not accept her truest defeat. "I don't much care for Lucien, darling. I care more for the deal we made against you. He saves my brother in exchange for me capturing that little blonde creature of his seems fair enough. Besides, there _is_ a little something else I win from all this," she moved over to the table where the second vial stood and picked it up, "I too can become a creature of such pure and unbridled power as well. I could even take pleasure in killing even you."

Klaus eyed her finger trailing the lid and panicked. "Whatever has passed between us, whatever hatred you're holding onto, in me you see the kindred you have always longed for. To spend an eternity without me? It would be a curse your frail heart could not endure."

Perhaps to prove him incorrect was the main reason for her impulsive decision, or perhaps it was just for her truest hatred against them all, she popped the vial open. "You're wrong. You see, Nik, whatever terrors may await me in the endless time to come pale in comparison to the joy I will take in ending you. Cheers."

And with that, she drank down the entire vial.

~0~

As soon as Elijah walked into the solitary bar Lucien had appointed him too Elijah knew he was in for a fight. The entire place was nearly empty save for a couple half filled glasses and a couple of tables.

"Such a treat, being in New Orleans this time of year," Lucien's voice startled him. The man was sitting calmly at the top balcony. "But, alas, for all today's talent, nothing quite compares with watching Ella and Louis perform live."

"Yes, what a wonderful world that was," Elijah quickly said before getting to business. "Give me my brother before your world becomes significantly less wonderful."

"Mmm, I'm afraid I need something from you, first. A brother for a brother, as it were."

Elijah rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, Aurora would like her beloved Tristan back?"

"Or your death, to relieve his suffering. So, either tell me how to find him, or I'll kill you," Lucien rose tall and threatening.

~0~

Aurora felt even more powerful despite not yet completing the process to become what Lucien was now. "Darling, how would you like to watch me burn? That way, you have the thrill of watching me rise from the ashes like a phoenix reborn."

"A lovely image…" Klaus muttered. "But, I think you might ruin Lucien's carpet. Wouldn't you rather torture me a bit more before you end yourself?"

"Are you stalling me?" Aurora said in utter amusement. "Perhaps plotting some strategy for escape? But even if you got free, what then? Kill me? Enact the serum, make me into Lucien's equal? Not the wisest strategy for your survival."

"Is this what you want? You do realize that becoming like him will only add to your already substantial misery. Lucien cannot save you from yourself. Nor could Tristan. Nor could I, for that matter. You've spent centuries trying to cure your madness, and yet you're still no closer."

"You hold your wicked tongue, or I shall pluck it from your wicked skull!"

Klaus struggled not to laugh at her. It was so easy making her lose her temper. "Yes! More threats! So, go on then. Tear me apart a bit at a time. I may die by day's end, but you will live forever. Unloved. Pathetic. Your life a perpetual slog of soul-crushing despair and you unable to end it."

Aurora slowly tried to calm down, but the laced venom voice she used betrayed her. "Talking, talking, all this talking…"

"Well, if I'm to suffer through it, so should you," Klaus would've shrugged had it not been for his restraints.

~0~

"Do we _have_ an actual plan?" Maleny asked Hayley as the two strode down the street towards Lucien's apartment.

"I thought the plan was to get some of your dark objects," Hayley stopped for a moment to look the blonde in the eyes. "Hey Mal, listen...I know you and I haven't exactly been on best of terms but...if you wanna leave it to me...I would understand."

"Cami's not been invited into the place and I am not leaving you to fight alone," Maleny sighed, although still determined as ever. "Besides, Aurora and I have a pending score to settle…"

"Not scared or anything?" Hayley arched an eyebrow, mildly amused.

"I should be, huh?" Maleny chuckled. "But I hate her, Hayley - I despise her like I've never despised anyone before - and I _want_ to fight her. I might not win but-"

"You've got the right idea, Mal," Hayley smirked. "And we're definitely going to win. Unlike Aurora, we both know how to control our emotions. That alone spells a win for us."

"Not if Lucien's already made her like him," Maleny sighed and continued walking again. "Because I doubt Aurora will do anything for free."

"So we gotta be smart about this. We have to think of a way that'll weaken Aurora, catch her off guard…"

And at that moment, Maleny caught sight of a curious pharmacy coming up. Her eyebrows quirked up as an idea crossed her mind. "I think I want to play doctor…"

Hayley just gave her a confused glance.

~ 0 ~

"Elijah, I've asked you a rather important question. Given our current circumstance, you'd be wise not to test my patience," Lucien now stood across the room, and was beginning to grow impatient. "So... Tristan's resting place...?"

"You carefully craft yourself into this abomination purely to become... an errand boy to that banshee?" even Elijah was completely lost.

"Well, I keep my promises, that's all," Lucien gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Besides, do I need to remind you the prophecy is on my side? Your family is doomed. So, if you'll give me Tristan's location, at least I could make your death quick."

"I have no idea where he is. But you know, Lucien, the thing is that I suspect you don't even really care."

"Mmm. I never really liked him. But, at least I can tell Aurora I tried after I killed you," Lucien smirked.

And so, the two endeavored to fight each other. However, once Elijah would get a tad close Lucien would gain the upperhand and sent him back.

"You give me my brother. I won't ask again," Elijah nonetheless continued to fight.

"Please, Elijah. Know when you're beaten." To remind the Original who was the strongest, Lucien brought out his 'Beast' face and determinedly strode towards Elijah.

He came midway before stepping over the sigil Freya had created earlier, now burning its way across the floor he was on. There was a sharp pain that sprung from his body, forcing him to his knees.

"Oh. That looks like it hurts," Freya walked in smugly with Cami beside her. "That's what I was going for."

"What... did you do to me?" Lucien was barely able to get the words out as he felt every fiber of his in excruciating pain.

"The sigil will bind you. Weaken you. The boiling blood, I added myself. Maybe I can't kill you, but I can make you wish you were dead."

~ 0 ~

In a very gruesome manner, Aurora ripped a stake she had plunged into Klaus' throat as hard as she could, taking pleasure in hearing his scream of pain. "That's it?" she asked after a moment of silence. "Nothing more to say? No more taunts tripping from your tongue? Well, then, I suppose it's time I finish this."

She directed the stake to her heart, causing Klaus to panic once again. "What are you doing!?"

"I'm gonna drive this into my heart, die, and be reborn. And then, with the aid of my new-found power... I'm going to silence you permanently." But before she could follow through on her word, they heard the elevator ding from the lobby. "Well," she rolled her eyes and headed for the door. Upon opening the door she found a smiling Maleny on the other side.

"Round two," the blonde announced with the fakest smile she had ever mustered.

Bemused, Aurora took a step backwards. "Well, you know I was supposed to go find _you_ in order to complete my side of the deal. I have to thank you for saving me the trouble."

"Maleny!" called the horrified Klaus. "Get out of here!"

"Cami sends her regards," Maleny flatout ignored him as she spoke to Aurora. To show just how Cami sent her words, she pulled out an ancient looking knife with a red tassel dangling from the end of the grip. "She oh-so wanted to make sure she was a part of this."

"I'll make sure to come looking for her too," Aurora stepped closer to Maleny who then retracted her step. Finding it even more amusing, Aurora continued to approach her while Maleny went back. "How surprising. You're brandishing your antiques at me yet cowering away from the fight. I suppose I would be scared, if I thought you were quick enough to use them."

"I'm smarter than you, Aurora, put the pieces together will you?" Maleny smirked just as the elevator behind her dinged again. As soon as the doors slid open, Hayley lunged towards Aurora and sped them all the way into the apartment.

It was too easy how Hayley had tackled Aurora to the floor and plunged a hand into the redhead's chest for her heart.

"Stop! She drank the serum," Klaus shouted just before Hayley would finish the job.

The woman scowled but nonetheless squeezed Aurora's heart for extra kicks.

"Boo," Maleny walked in, causing a momentary distraction for Hayley and the best opportunity for Aurora to attack. She snapped Hayley's neck and sent her to the floor. "Hayley!

"Look at that," Aurora rose with a slight pant of breath, "how surprising, hmm?"

~ 0 ~

Davina had been called upon to the Lycee, curtesy of Marcel, because apparently Vincent was in trouble. She was even more surprised to find Amarrah hurrying behind. "What are you doing?" she asked the French woman.

"Same as you, your Ancestors are at it again," huffed Amarrah.

"Where's Nicolas?" Davina had time to demand for the man. He had promised he would help finish these Ancestors but had yet to follow through.

"On a trip, he'll be back soon, now let's go," Amarrah went past her.

The two came up to the aisle that would lead them to the Lycee. Stopping at the front altar, both saw six candles forming a six-pointed star on the tablestop. They saw inside was a matchbook from St. James.

"Why are they doing that?" Amarrah asked, confused.

Davina sighed. "Kol was having problems earlier...the neutral zone was breaking…"

"Of course it was," Amarrah eyed the two lit candles and flinched when a third one went on.

"Davina! Amarrah!" Vincent came limping from one of the tombs. "Don't touch any of those!"

"What is it, exactly?" Amarrah inquired.

"That is a very dangerous spell, courtesy of Van Nguyen. The Ancestors made him Regent... And they're about to make their move. They're coming after Kol next. Once all six candles are lit, we can kiss our neutral zone goodbye."

Davina's eyes widened with horror. "If they get to Kol, he won't be able to control himself. We need to stop this now."

"Davina, I don't have access to the Ancestors' power anymore."

"Neither do I... But we can channel each other," Davina looked at Amarrah hopefully. "Please?"

"You are so lucky I hate these Ancestor bitches," Amarrah took one of Davina's hands as well as one of Vincents to begin the counter-spell.

But then a fourth candle was lit.

They chanted stronger, but then a fifth one was lit.

Putting much more strength and focus into it, their chanting became louder...and eventually, stronger. All of the candles that had been lit went out in a snap.

"Point one, the living," Amarrah looked around, knowing this was far from being the last battle.

~ 0 ~

Lucien was still feeling the awful pain in his body while Freya, Cami and Elijah watched with the biggest smirks ever. But then, it stopped, and Lucien straightened up.

"Whew! Well, I admit, Freya, this is a truly valiant effort. Inspired, I assume, by your grief over Finn's demise?" Lucien now the wore winning smirk in the room. Unamused, though, Freya thrust her hand forwards and brought Lucien back down with an aneurysm. "Pop goes the weasel! Oh! A rather potent aneurysm spell. You never fail to impress."

"Oh, I have all kinds of tricks," Freya announced.

"We even brought an audience to enjoy the show," Cami added with her own smile as several dozen of the Strix vampires filled the room to surround Lucien.

"Oh, come now, Camille," Elijah inched closer to her. "The Strix are the show. Well... the first act. Act two, Lucien's buried beneath 1,000 tons of cement. Act three?"

"Parking lot?" Cami suggested.

"My I love how you think."

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Oh, even after a thousand years, you've never managed to curb your hubris. You still wander through a smog of your own self-importance. I can kill anything. Even them. Even you. And, since the Ancestors have made me their champion... They will not allow me to be detained." And just like that, Lucien overcame the spell that trapped him in the sigil on the floor - which was now fading into nothing. Victoriously, he gestured for them to started with their battle.

~ 0 ~

Aurora had a continuous glance between Hayley's unconscious body on the floor and Maleny who remained by the doorway. "Nik, what a conundrum! Mother of your child over here-" she gestured to Hayley, "Woman of your dreams over here-" she pointed at Maleny then had a little laugh to herself. "Because, let's be honest, you are no mother," she said to the blonde. "You didn't even birth them for God's sake."

"Aw, so insecure you have to point out the details," Maleny tilted her head carelessly. "I suppose that happens when everything you hold dear goes-" she made a gesture with her hand that something disappeared, "-poof!"

"Which one should I kill first?" Aurora narrowed her eyes at her choices.

"It's not like you can pick me - Lucien forbade it, no?" Maleny couldn't help smirk.

"Maleny-" Klaus tried to cut in, feeling far more frantic and helpless now that he was still restrained and Maleny was just standing there like a waiting prey.

Maleny's playfulness had vanished, and dead serious said, "Round three."

Aurora smirked and sped towards the woman.

~ 0 ~

Elijah was shoved across the room and landed harshly on the floor. As he moved to get up he could see Lucien easily going through the crowd of Strix. Cami, too, was deflected easily and landed unconscious somewhere across.

"Is that the best you've got?" Lucien called to the next round of vampires who wanted a go.

Freya, who'd remained safely away, didn't stay quiet. With a spell she began to pull Lucien's heart from his chest telekinetically . "Delphin eoten cor. Delphin eoten cor. Delphin eoten cor!"

But that didn't stop him all the way either. Freya saw, and felt, the Ancestors beginning to interfere with her spell. Elijah got up fast and acted as a final resource. He sped to Lucien and nabbed the man, successfully throwing Lucien across and into a large banner. Immediately he took Cami and Freya away and fled the place.

~ 0 ~

Aurora had thrown Maleny into a table perfectly, the blonde breaking through the table as she fell down. "Was this your idea of a rescue plan?" Aurora laughed. "Come now, I think even your little cousin would put up a better fight than this one."

With a glare Maleny rose from the floor, heavily breathing in. She wasn't going to lie to herself and say she had a chance against this woman, but then she took pleasure knowing this wasn't meant to work out. "You haven't figured it out, you idiot. I'm gonna laugh in a couple of minutes."

"I must give you your props for being so highly confident," Aurora spared a brief glance at the horrified Klaus who was being forced to watch. "A shame she'll have to go - Lucien will understand."

"Mistake number two," Maleny laughed unceremoniously. "Or have we forgotten why _any_ of us-" she made a gesture to them all, "-are here in the first place? _Me_. Cecilia. You killed her, and he's yet to forgive you for that one."

"Such talk and hubris," Aurora began going towards her again. Maleny snatched a vase which she used to smash over Aurora's head. While the redhead fell down she swiped an arm across Maleny's legs and thus knocked her down as well. Aurora was fast as she climbed over the blonde and used her strength to force Maleny's hands together. "I only wish your irritating twins were here to see this."

Nonetheless Maleny was smiling, laughing out of the usualness. "I wish they were too!"

Before anything else was done, Hayley arose and grabbed Aurora in a neck hold, pulling her off Maleny. "Mal, now!"

Maleny jumped up to her feet with a syringe in hand. She plunged the needle into Aurora's neck and beamed as the redhead gasped in pain. "Thing about me, Aurora, is that I don't need strength to fight you - I've got family, which is more than what I can say for you."

Hayley let Aurora drop harshly on the floor. "Goodnight, sunshine," she smirked.

"I win!" Maleny exclaimed. She turned on her heels and pointed a warning finger at Klaus. "You and I, are going to talk about leaving the damn compound when it was rule number one."

"I learned from you to escape," Klaus cleverly responded with.

"Touche," Maleny gave a tilt of her head.

"Why did you leave in the first place?" Hayley asked as she and Maleny went to help him finally get free. Unlike Maleny, she was fairly pissed off that Klaus had broken their number one rule without even giving a damn reason.

"It was important," was all Klaus was going to say on that matter. He was determined to keep it a secret until he believed it was the right moment.

"We just saved your ass, the least you can do is give us an explanation," Hayley snapped, much like the wooden board did with her strength.

"You're not getting one, period."

"How do we get those chains off?" Maleny stared up at the ceiling curiously, out of the loop from the current conversation.

"I say we just leave him," Hayley gave a sour smile to the hybrid.

"Or we can just take him like that all chained up, I can find a way to make it work," Maleny, in turn, smirked.

"That is why you are my favorite," Klaus returned the smirk.

" _Eugh,_ " Hayley made a gesture she was done with them.

~ 0 ~

"Cannot believe that failed too," Amarrah shook her head after hearing how Freya's sigil spell had not been as successive as they had hoped. Freya was once again skimming through spell books on the living room couch.

"I can't believe what the ancestors are doing to Kol," Cami, in turn, said her own laments. Amarrah had told them how close Kol had gotten to losing control - via Davina's words.

"It's better if he leaves," Elijah said. "If the Ancestors can't reach him then he's better off far away from here."

"Davina said that Nicolas said they needed to get rid of the Ancestors," Amarrah confided, unsure if Nicolas had ever planned on talking about this with the family.

"That wouldn't be bad," Freya huffed from her spot and passed another page from the spell book. "I'm sure he'd have plenty of ideas - he's been doing his own research of the Quarter and even the Algiers."

"Is that possible though?" Cami looked at them all in doubt.

"Maybe if we really focus on getting to it, then yeah," Amarrah nodded. "And seeing as I'm not going home anytime soon-"

"It's for the best," Cami reminded. Amarrah bad been barred from leaving the compound considering she had now played her own part against the NOLA ancestors.

Just then, Maleny sped into the room, and before anyone could ask how their mission had gone, she made an important question. "Can anyone help me with some supernatural, strong-as-hell, chains?"

As it turned out, taking the chains off Klaus required more magic and thus they would need Freya's help. They had managed to bring him back - all chained up but back - while also taking in Aurora. While Freya worked to get the chains off, Amarrah worked on keeping Aurora subdued.

"What are the chances of keeping her that way?" Hayley asked Amarrah after she supposed the spell was complete.

Amarrah chuckled and turned to the hybrid woman. "Very good, I assure you. Although if she did drink the serum I don't see why we can't just take it from her and maybe concoct an antidote from it."

"Or I could stab her in the end," Hayley suggested and eyed Aurora for a moment.

"That comes afterwards," Amarrah wagged a finger. The two women left Aurora's body in one of the empty rooms and returned to the others in the downstairs living room.

By the time they regathered, the chains had been successfully taken off from Klaus and set aside for future uses they could get out of them.

"Your 'thank you' will be taken as diaper duty," Hayley warned.

"I've yet to decide how I want to be paid back…" Maleny innocently remarked and made a gesture she would be retiring for the night. Klaus swayed his head while watching her leave, eliciting a groan from Hayley.

"Oh my God, just _go_ ," the woman shooed him off. Amarrah giggled as the man practically bolted from the room.

"Amarrah, do you think you could help me with these?" Freya called to the French witch and waved another spell book.

"Of course," Amarrah walked over to begin on the heavy duty again.

Hayley sighed. "I'm gonna go check up on Hope," she waved to them goodbye and headed out.

~ 0 ~

Cami had come to recognize the littlest of things from Elijah that indicated he was holding something he wanted to say. And right now, that thing was his excessive examination of her vanity table which, due to her recent move-in, was practically empty of personal possessions.

Cami sighed when she had enough of just staring at him. "If there's anything you want to say, you can say it you know. I won't bite."

Elijah looked up with a tiny smile, a sad one. "I'm afraid you won't like what I have to say."

"Oh no," Cami looked away for a moment. "What crazy thought has gotten into that dusty head of yours?"

"I appreciate you fighting with us against Lucien, but you and I both know this is not your fight…"

"That's where you're wrong," Cami interjected lightly, "He went after my cousin, he attacked you and the others. Lucien has made an enemy out of me as well."

"Camille-"

"Don't 'Camille' me, whatever you want me to do I'm not doing it," Cami declared, slightly amused. She honestly couldn't believe they were having this sort of conversation _again_. She walked up to him, ignoring his weary sigh, and cupped his face. "You said I was part of this family, don't take it back because you're scared."

"I don't want you to get hurt," Elijah spoke from his truest thoughts. "At any moment something could happen to you-"

"Something could happen to any of us and that doesn't stop us from continuing this fight," Cami said determinedly. "I'm not going anywhere…"

"No...you're not…" Elijah realized sadly, but Cami just laughed.

"Try to look a little more happy I'm going to be around you...is that not pleasurable?"

Elijah gave a playful roll of his eyes. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close by, leaning his forehead over hers. "Your presence is always pleasurable. I simply wish to keep you safe."

"And I just want to stay where you are. _That's_ where I feel safe."

The surprise etched across Elijah's face made her smile even wider.

~ 0 ~

Maleny had taken to Marlenie's tablet to continue her modern-day education all the meanwhile she waited for Klaus to return from his shower. She had received a text message from Nicolas earlier saying he and Marlenie - along with the other two strangers now - were nearing the Quarter and should be back that morning. She was just waiting to tell Klaus about it. When she heard the bathroom door opening she looked up with a smile.

"There you are," she said before tilting her head questioningly, "Do you know what a falafel is? I don't understand…"

Klaus gave her a look in return, but nonetheless smiled at her back. He walked straight for her. She chuckled as he climbed over her legs till he was inches from her face. "How do you remain so...like _this_?" he couldn't find the right words to describe her beautiful personality.

Maleny moved the tablet to the bedstand then faced him. "Like what, exactly?"

"You just fought a woman stronger than you, not to mention you facing Lucien days ago on your own...and yet here you are, reading over international foods?"

"I don't know," Maleny gave a light shrug of her shoulders. "Maybe it's because every time I'm fortunate enough to come back home, to you."

"You were clever today," he brushed some fingers over her cheek. "But you did scare me half to death."

"Maybe now you'll tell me where it is you left this morning?"

"You'll know soon enough, I promise," he closed the tiny space between them with a kiss on her lips.

"Mm, nice distraction, good kiss, but I still want to know…"

"Do you trust me?" Klaus gave her a special look.

"Of course," Maleny said within the second frame.

"Then trust me on this: you will know soon enough," and with that he kissed her again. "And I hope it'll make you as happy as it'll make me."

~ 0 ~

"Can't believe you ran out of gas," Nicolas scolded his sister as the two got out of their car in front of the gas station.

Marlenie rolled her eyes and started for the convenient store. "Oh calm down you drama Queen, we've got money."

"Still, Marls - with Evie and Xavier-"

"Relax, I already told them to keep going to the Quarter. It'll probably be safer if they go in on their own and not with us. Now, I'm gonna go pay now," Marlenie waved him off and hurried into the store to avoid more scoldings. She seriously believed this scolding mechanism of Nicolas was all uncle Elijah. No one scolded like him.

As Nicolas returned to the gas station they were parked at, he suddenly got the feeling they were being watched. He turned his head to the side and scanned their area, but there were no other cars nor people but them.

"Marls…" he barely got the name out when he was shoved into the gas panel.

"Well hello there, Nicolas Mikaelson," Lucien stood tall and mighty over the human. "It's been a while...missed you and your awful sister today."

"H-how did you find us…?" Nicolas slowly used the panel to get himself up again.

"I've got the Ancestors on my side, it's easy to do things nowadays."

"I don't know what your plan is, but..." Nicolas barely took a step back when his sister appeared and super-sped Lucian against the front of their car.

"You bastard!"

"Ferocious like your father," laughed Lucien. With one swift movement he pinned Marlenie to the front of the car.

But now Nicolas was quick at causing an aneurysm. Marlenie then kicked Lucien off her and turned for her brother. "Get in the car!" she ordered.

Marlenie headed for the driver's seat while Nicolas to the passenger. Just as the two had opened their respective doors Lucien returned and fought Marlenie away from the car.

"No!" Nicolas went to perform the same spell when Lucien came after him abruptly. Lucien made sure to knock him out by slamming Nicolas head-first against the passenger door.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Marlenie lunged for Lucien but he punched her across the face. Disoriented from the hit, she had given Lucien the perfect chance to grab her by her closest arm and did the unthinkable.

He sunk his fangs into Marlenie's arm.

Marlenie's scream echoed throughout the roadway.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

I'm just going to stop apologizing for being so incredibly late in updating because school is really becoming hectic. From now on, updates will just be from whenever I can! This will apply to the rest of my stories too! Sorry!

But anyways, we are seriously reaching the end for this story...and...*sniffs*...what do you think about this ending? Lucien...biting...Marlenie? *hides under a rock*

Whaddya think's gonna happen in the next chapter? In the show that was a heart-breaker (and one that super pissed me off).


	16. 16-No Fear

There are plenty ways anyone at the compound could have thought of as an alternative way to greet the morning. Nowhere in that did it include having to face the reality that Lucien had struck again, and _very_ close to home - _in_ their home. Nicolas came rushing into the courtyard, as fast as he could, carrying his twin sister's body in his arms.

"MOM! DAD!" his screams echoed in the courtyard.

"Nicolas?" a woman with 1920s choppy haircut came out of the first floor living room. Evie Velden was horrified to see her closest friend - practically sister - with a gruesome bite on her arm. "What happened!? Xavier and I got here a couple hours ago - your parents gave us quite the questionaires by the way-"

"Evie! Not now!" Nicolas snapped. "Where's Xavier? MUM! DAD!"

"He's talking with your aunt - the witchy one..."

"What happened!?" Maleny was the first to come into view. She then saw her daughter's state and sped downstairs. "Marlenie!?"

"Mum, listen to me-" Nicolas barely got to say when Maleny cut him off.

"No, what's wrong with your sister? What's happened-"

"He bit her!" Nicolas unintentionally shouted, freezing her on her spot. "He bit her, Mum. Lucien bit her arm last night!"

Maleny's eyes widened and for a minute all she did was stare at her daughter. "KLAUS!" She then screamed for.

In a snap of a minute he was there. And to his horror he learned what happened. They then brought Marlenie into the living room, sitting her down on the couch. While she stared into space - because she had yet to say a word to anyone - the rest of the family, and newcomers, discussed the events. Her friend, Xavier, was busy examining her bitten arm.

"I knew what this man - Lucien - had become but I didn't know he could do that..." Evie Velden admitted, her hand still partially covering her mouth. "We shouldn't have left you, Nicolas, last night..."

"If you hadn't he would have killed you," Nicolas said, not doubting his words for a second.

"What sort of beast has he turned himself into?"

"The invincible one, haven't you heard?" it was Cami who responded, sourness stinging her tone.

"Not impossible, never impossible," Xavier spoke up as he gently left Marlenie's arm.

"Then you have a cure?" Klaus asked, expectantly waiting for a good answer.

"My family's been around and we have never encountered this sort of vampire," Xavier said.

Minutes later Freya came rushing in holding some sort of medicinal herb. "This should help somewhat," she moved forwards when Klaus held a hand out to do it himself. Freya nodded and handed it over.

Marlenie had still not said a word to anyone, much less moved on her own. She sat still on the couch, head turned towards the bookshelves lining the wall. It was impossible to even think what was running through her head.

Klaus gently took her arm, startling her. However, all she did was just blink at him. This was far away from the woman he met months ago. "I need you to hold still. It might burn, okay?"

She said nothing until the cloth touched her skin. "Ow, ow, what is that?"

"It's a healing salve," answered Freya. "Motherwort, white willow bark, the recipe's over a thousand years old."

A deep scowl formed across Marlenie's lips. "And they couldn't figure out a way to make it hurt _less_?"

Everyone saw the small snippet of the Marlenie they came to know and love. Maleny came over to her side and rubbed a comforting hand along her back.

Freya just smiled. "It will ease the pain, dull the symptoms...but it won't stop the infection."

Marlenie once again looked away. "Wouldn't expect it to, aunt Freya."

Klaus reached to take Marlenie's head into his hands. "Listen to me, Marlenie, we are _not_ going to let you go. We will do everything we can."

There was a terrible fear that flashed across her eyes, but Klaus - along with everyone else - failed to realize that it was not fear for herself, but for _them_. She knew to what extremities they would go to for one another and she feared one of them would do something tremendously stupid on her behalf.

~0~

"Alright, so what do we got?" Nicolas demanded from the rest of his gathered family sans his parents, Marlenie, Evie and Xavier.

"The blood could be used as a cure," Cami theorized, "Lucien's blood."

"Like my Dad's cures a werewolf bite," Nicolas nodded in understanding. "It's worth a shot. Marlenie has some of his blood on her clothes so I'll get some in a bit."

"I'll get on that," Freya volunteered.

"Maybe we hedge our bets," Hayley then offered as another alternative, seeming pretty nervous as she explained. "Hope is a Mikaelson witch who carries the wolf gene, we already know that she's got healing powers."

"It's worth a try," Elijah nodded her to get on that one.

"I'll tell Mary that I'm coming," Hayley said and quickly left the room.

After a brief moment, Nicolas sighed and turned to the spell books pooled in by his family and Xavier's. Cami remained at the threshold of the room, intending on following Elijah out, but the younger man's demeanor caught her attention more.

"You know, Mal and I have the dark objects," she said and Nicolas turned back as she continued to introduce the new alternative, "You can go down and search through it. I don't know much about spells but maybe there's something down there."

Nicholas nodded a very grateful thanks and hurried out before her.

~0~

Marlenie had only made the movement of serving herself a drink from the bar so far and took what she could of her parents' looks. But eventually, she lost. "I could do without the piteous looks, you know," she sent them tiny warm smiles.

"Don't pretend, please," Maleny sighed. She couldn't take her daughter pretending there was nothing wrong.

"Pretend what? That I'm going to die?"

This time it was Klaus who had to interrupt. "Marlenie, do not-"

"Don't what?" an incredulous laugh escaped her lips. "Say the truth? What? Am I supposed to pretend that everything is going to work out fine?" She shook her head, sobering till she was left with a small smile. "I am not afraid to die," she declared after a brief moment of silence. "I have never been afraid to die. If that is your fear for me then please just let it go. I found my family, that is _all_ I've ever wanted from my life, so if it's time for me to go then I'll take it." She got up from the couch, leaving her drink on the table. "The only thing that upsets me is that Lucien gets to _win_. I so hate to lose."

Usually Klaus was all for lively speeches that ensures they would not lose, but in this situation he could not find that same attitude. His daughter was going to die if they could not figure a proper cure. Where could he fit in the playfulness there?

Maleny just could not take it and hurried out of the room. Marlenie watched her go and let her get farther away before she spoke again. "Please make sure my mother doesn't do anything rash," she requested. "We know the power she still has over Lucien - she could strike an idea with him."

Klaus' eyes widened at the thought he had yet to make.

~0~

" _What_?" came Davina's soury voice over the phone line. "I'm in the middle of something-"

"I don't give a damn," Nicolas snapped as he delved into a new box of dark objects. He had his cellphone pressed between his shoulder and ear while his hands picked and three different dark objects. "You and I are about to make an official deal, Davina Claire."

"What are you talking about-"

"Lucien bit my sister and now she's fighting for her life."

There was a silence on the other line. Now, Davina wasn't a big fan of Marlenie, and she knew the feeling was mutual, but to have the vampire woman die wasn't exactly what she wanted either.

"What do you need?" Davina then asked softer, and kinder.

"You've been regent, you know your thing about spells, find me one that'll save my sister," Nicolas requested then added, "In exchange I will help you destroy your connection to the Ancestors."

"That's a huge commitment…"

"This is a huge problem," countered Nicolas. "And I have the way to destroy the Ancestors, you know it. So, do we have a deal?"

"Yes," Davina said before hanging up.

~0~

It didn't take long for Davina to come up with a plan that could perhaps buy them some sort of cure for Marlenie. But as she planned on leaving St. James, Kol - who was back in the Quarter due to the Ancestors' interference - made a move to stop her.

"I'm not arguing with you," Davina repeated herself for the last time. "I have to go find him."

"For what!?" Kol almost shouted at her, his fury rising by the second. "For a woman that detests you!?"

"That woman is your _niece_ , Kol!" Davina raised her voice as well, although not matching his. "And no matter what she doesn't deserve to die just because Lucien decided it so!"

"You don't even like her," Kol pointed out, thinking it as a point in his favor.

"Very true," Davina nodded in agreement. "But to say that I want to see her dead is far crossing the line. As far as I'm concerned _she_ and her brother are the only Mikaelsons that have never done anything to me. Besides, Nicolas made me a deal. I help save his sister he helps save you."

Kol scoffed. "And you believe his word? You do remember who's son he is right?"

"I want to believe that Nicolas is different than Klaus," Davina said, and on some level she could believe it. If anything, Marlenie seemed more like Klaus.

"Lucien is an unstoppable monster made by the Ancestors-"

Davina rolled her eyes. "I have stood up to Klaus. I'm not afraid of some second-string copycat."

Just as she moved for the doors, Kol blocked her way and grabbed her arms. "I cannot leave here, and I am not letting you walk into a fight by yourself!"

'Let go!" Davina shouted. In her frustration, she used her powers to send him across the floor. "You can barely control yourself. Now if Lucien is working with the Ancestors, maybe he can tell me what they've done to you and this way Nicolas can help me make sense of it!"

"This is madness, you can't fight him!" Kol made to get up.

"I don't need to fight him, I need him to tell me the truth. And I know a way to do that, so just stay here. Wish me luck." Davina smirked and turned on her way out.

~ 0 ~

"It really _is_ a nice city," Evie remarked as she stared out the window from Maleny's old bedroom that now served as her daughter's room.

"Isn't it?" Marlenie walked over with a small smile. "I wish I could have showed it to you and Xavier. Humans, while annoying, do know how to throw some mean festivals here."

Evie looked at Marlenie sadly. "Don't say things like that…"

"It's what's going to happen, Evie," Marlenie sighed. "I don't understand why everyone in this house tries to make it seem like nothing bad is going to happen. "No one gets that I am content to die here, with my family, the one I searched for a thousand years. If there was ever a way to go I'm glad it's here."

Evie's eyes filled with tears while Marlenie looked straight at the window. "I doubt your parents see it that way."

"Well, to be my fair, my parents are a bit of a bias party. Now listen," Marlenie turned away, wagging a finger as she walked towards the couch, "I know neither Dad nor Mum want to listen to this but I've got property and I need someone to listen to my last wishes."

"No, Marlenie, don't do that," Evie whined and followed the dark-haired woman.

"Yes, I need it to be clear," Marlenie said as she took a seat on her where she had left a note pad and pen. "I already made a list of things and the people I want them to go to." Evie sighed but never said anything back. She knew when Marlenie got an idea in her head there was no power on the Earth that could change it. "Now listen, the old Velden residence - the ruins - I know they mean something to you," Marlenie smiled knowingly while Evie watched her write it down, "so those are definitely all yours."

"I can't say 'thank you' and you know it…"

"Don't expect you to," Marlenie looked up with a smile. "And for the company, you'll continue to run it and...when Hope turns eighteen...she can join you. I can't think of a better duo to run it in the future."

"Marlenie…" Evie tilted her head, her eyes once again finding new tears to release.

"I'm sure Hope will love the fashion industry," Marlenie continued on, writing down her sister's name next to the request on the notepad. "Then my residences in Venice," she looked up with a soft smile, "I want those to go to my mother, absolutely her."

Evie no longer said anything, she just cleared her tears from her cheeks and abided by Marlenie's wishes.

~ 0 ~

Davina had found Lucien at Rousseau's where a loud, lively party was going on curtesy of Lucien. She stopped the music and put everyone down with a spell, as well as protecting herself with an invisible barrier for Lucien.

Mocking her use of a truth spell doll, Lucien paced near her, mocking her with information about him. "I suppose I should just fess up. Tell you all of my deepest, darkest secrets. I'm a Scorpio, I prefer wine to Whiskey, got a bit of a sweet tooth.. Oh, my greatest joy is listening to the screams of my victims just before I end them."

Davina rolled her eyes. "I think you know what exactly I'm looking for."

"You know, instead of focusing so much on a family that never actually did anything for you, how's about you start looking over your shoulder for the Ancestors. Hmm, they do have a splendid plan to shut you up for good."

Davina stared at the man, for a moment faltering. "H-how are you doing all this?"

"Oh, not me, love. I've got the Ancestors on my side, ready with a wealth of witchy woes for those who appose me."

"But why would the ancestors help _you_?"

"I made them a promise. See, if they help me, we'd exterminate a certain family of vermin vampires. Innocent's may get caught in the crossfire, though..."

"Like Marlenie?"

Lucien scoffed. "Hardly the innocent type, wouldn't you agree?"

"In this specific situation, I do."

Lucien was about to respond when something caught his attention. He looked past where Davina stood, easily becoming bemused. "We-e-ell, now this is a true surprise," he began speaking in a louder voice, one that told Davina he was no longer speaking to her.

As she turned around she saw none other than Maleny slowly coming into the room. Davina's eyes widened in horror. "M-Maleny, what are you doing here!?"

"She's come to talk to me, don't you see?" Lucien smirked and walked towards the two women. With the Ancestors help, he crossed over Davina's barrier with ease and moved impossibly close to Maleny. The blonde had daggered eyes set on him.

"Davina, go now," she ordered quietly.

"Are you crazy? He'll-"

"He won't do anything to me, he's proven that," Maleny said, quite secure that Lucien just grinned.

"But-"

"Oh, run along now, Davina," Lucien shooed her away with a hand. "The Ancestors will finish you off, don't worry."

"But-"

"Davina go, I'll be fine," Maleny turned her head slightly to give a reassuring glance. Davina wasn't quite sure but she couldn't force herself to stay so she walked out, but intended on notifying Nicolas as soon as possible.

"Care for a drink?" Lucien gestured towards the bar. "Sorry about the, uh…" he nodded to the unconscious people still on the floor.

"You bastard," Maleny muttered, not moving from her spot.

"Speaking of, does he know you're here?" Lucien smirked while Maleny scowled even deeper. "Course he doesn't because then...you _wouldn't_ be here…"

"I came to tell you two words," Maleny said, raising her head slightly. "You win."

Lucien tilted his head, curious of what just this meant for him.

"You win," Maleny repeated, her true feelings finally reaching the surface of her face. "You got what you wanted, power and strength. But you didn't need to touch my daughter…"

"Oh, but I did. See, to make you truly understand that I can do what I want now," Lucien made a move back to her, although Maleny showed no fear against him.

"No, you did it out of _spite_ ," Maleny said quietly. "Because you couldn't stand the fact I didn't choose _you_." But before Lucien could ever say anything, she quickly said what she came here for. "You wanted me, so you can have me...but you cure my daughter. You hear me? I will make you any deal you want, anything you ask, but you give me the cure to save my daughter."

It took a couple of moments for this to settle on Lucien's face. First, he was surprised, then there came the bemusement, and finally, the wicked laugh. "Oh my dear Maleny, this was never about you-"

"I know that," Maleny snapped, offended he would think she was that stupid. "I know you came for Klaus because of all that he had taken from you, but somewhere, in that origin is me - Cecilia."

On that note, Lucien could not argue. And he wouldn't.

"So do we have a deal?" Maleny stepped forwards. "Myself, for my daughter?"

"You'd be willing to strike that deal just for a woman you barely met?"

"That woman is my daughter, and I have already put her through hell because of my decisions. I will not allow it take her life as well."

Lucien looked at her a long moment until he decided to laugh again. "You are a fool, Maleny. You honestly believe that there is a loophole out of this? Well the thing is, I don't believe in loopholes. My bite has no cure. Your sweet Marlenie is going to die." His laughter vanished and out came a dark, bitter tone. "And I will enjoy watching you and Klaus mourn her."

With that, he backed away from the tearful woman.

"Then I'm going to kill you," Maleny's soft threat made him stop for a second.

"Really?" he entertained the idea with a growing smile. " _You_?"

"Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow...but I _will_ kill you," Maleny made the vow loud and clear. "I'm going to make sure you know that you lost right before I kill you."

"My dear Maleny, you shouldn't make empty promises..."

"I _don't_ ," Maleny spat before she turned to leave.

~ 0 ~

Keeping true to her original thought, Davina made sure to call Nicolas and let him know what had happened. First of all, Nicolas had scolded _her_ for thinking that meeting Lucien was ever going to be a good idea. Davina was actually surprised to hear a little bit of concern dedicated for her. This just proved more that he wasn't like his father nor his sister.

Then, Nicolas went off about Davina leaving Maleny on her own. Maleny was none surprised when she returned to the compound to find a furious Klaus and Nicolas waiting for her.

"With all due respect, Mother, have you lost your mind!?" Nicolas was the first to shout.

"He could have killed you, Maleny!" went Klaus, surpassing his son's anger by the millions. "I have never witnessed a more stupider idea than this one! I swear Maleny you are trying to push your luck-"

"ENOUGH!" Maleny roared for the first time and succeeded in silencing them both down. "With all due respect," she threw a hard look at her son, "go see your sister and make sure she's fine. And for your own safety I advise you never to speak to me like that again."

"But-"

"GO NOW."

Nicolas sighed and strode off.

"And next time _you_ yell at me-" she began with Klaus, "-you shouldn't be too surprised to find a fork embedded in your chest."

Klaus let her threat go to focus on the problem. He grabbed her by the arms and brought her closer to him. "I need you to understand how ridiculous you were leaving the compound to see Lucien!"

"I went because you and I both know that Lucien wouldn't do anything to me anyways. I had to try my luck-"

"At what cost-"

"AT ANY!" Maleny frantically shouted. "My _daughter_ is going to die because of _our_ -" she pointed at him and her, "-choices. I needed to try and save her, even if I had to sell my soul to the very devil himself. I already lost years with Marlenie because of my choices and I didn't want to lose her again!"

By this time she had burst into sobs.

Klaus forgot about his anger and pulled her into a tight embrace. He kissed her hair and let her cry on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," she said somewhere in-between that. "I-I just don't want to lose her…"

"We won't," he assured, but even he wasn't as sure as he wished he could.

Because as the hours ticked by, Marlenie's condition worsened.

~ 0 ~

 _"You idiot! He could have been the perfect husband!" a middle-aged man mercilessly slapped his daughter, a young teenaged, black-haired woman. The teenager vainlessly tried to cover her head with her arms but her father was stronger and grabbed both her wrists in one of his hands. "All you had to do is sit and be silent! Now look what you've done!?"_

 _The teenager sobbed as she tried to make an explanation out of herself._

 _"I don't care!" the man raised a hand to beat her again. Just as he was about to strike, a stronger, feminine, hand grasped him._

 _"I **know** you are not about to hit this girl again," Marlenie Mikaelson stood beside the man, purposely gripping her hold on his palm. The man automatically let go of his daughter and winced under the hold Marlenie had on him. Marlenie boredly waited for him to speak._

 _"Th-this is none of your business! You're not a Velden!" the man desperately tried to prying her delicate fingers off his hand._

 _"That's funny, I don't recall mentioning anything about my status in this castle," Marlenie swayed her head while effortlessly pinching the man's hand. "But if you want a review then so be it. I am your ruler in this place. Anything that happens you **must** inform me."_

 _The teenager's eyes fearfully flickered from Marlenie to her father. Her father was in utter pain as Marlenie refused to let go of his hand which was, by now, turning purple from the loss of blood circulation._

 _"And I don't remember ever approving a marriage in this family," Marlenie tilted her head at the man. "Your daughter is only fifteen and you already want to marry her off? Did you even ask?"_

 _"What?" the man repeated, incredulously. "She's my daughter! She would do as I say!"_

 _Marlenie rolled her eyes. "Not in this castle. You," she looked at the teenager, "what's your name?"_

 _"E-Evie ma'am..." the girl replied with a shaky voice._

 _"Evie, do you want to marry?"_ _Evie glanced at her father but Marlenie snapped her fingers. "No, don't look at him. I asked **you** if you wanted to marry. Say yes or no, dear. I won't bite you. I don't feed off children."_

 _"N-no..." Evie said, bowing her head in shame. "I...I do not wish to marry at the moment..."_

 _Her father glared daggers at her. "Why you little - ah!" he crumpled to his knees when Marlenie squeezed his hand, breaking the bones in them._

 _"Evie doesn't wish to marry therefore if I see you ever attempt to bring in another suitor in **my** castle, you will become my meal," Marlenie bent down beside the man who was clutching his hand. "And just a forewarning: I do like to play with my food before I eat it."_

 _"You crazy bitch!" the man spat and ran off, leaving Marlenie to laugh._

 _"Your father is a funny man...an idiot, but a bit funny," Marlenie turned to Evie who was frozen to her spot. Marlenie's face softened and reached out to touch Evie's face. "He will not do anything more to harm you. If he gets by, you come and tell me, alright?"_

 _"Why...why are you doing this?" Evie asked, terribly scared. "You're the woman with...with the fangs...and the...you like blood..."_

 _Marlenie smiled. "Honey my dietary needs are irrelevant to this conversation. But if you must know, I have had to defend myself against everyone since I was a child because I didn't have my parents. If I see another child, such as yourself, in need of help...I will do it."_

 _Evie began to slowly smile. "Thank you."_

 _Marlenie nodded. "Go get sleep, Evie." Evie, now looking much more comfortable, nodded as well and walked away to her bedroom._

* * *

Marlenie violently coughed awake from her momentary unconsciousness. Evie was sitting beside the bed Marlenie was on and wearing a face of worriment. Marlenie had been talking slower and slower until she fell unconscious, and her skin was glowing like she had a fever. Already Freya had come in offering a new sort of remedy to at least slow down the effects of the bite, but nothing had worked so far.

"Oh...that hurts," Marlenie said after she finished coughing. She passed a hand over her damp hair and sat up, thinking over what she'd seen...or remembered. "I guess it's true what they say about when you're dying you start to see your life flash before your eyes."

Evie's face paled and she started to shake her head. "Don't say things like that Mar-"

"I saw the very first time we talked," Marlenie cut her off. She pushed herself up to sit against the bed's headboard. "When I saved you from your father..."

Evie sighed at the memory. "When he tried to sell me off as a bride."

Marlenie smirked. "And I scared his ass. I was _good_." Evie shared a small smile with her, but they were soon interrupted by her brother and Cami walking into the room.

"Did Aunt Freya already come with-" Nicolas was going to ask about the vial Freya had come earlier with and so Evie informed him that it was another failed attempt. Nicolas groaned and ran his hands through his hair, pacing to come up with another idea.

"Marlenie, I spoke to Marcel and he said the Strix couldn't help..." Cami said, looking far guilty. "But I did tell Amarrah and she's talking it over with her coven."

Marlenie put on her best smile for the blonde. "Thank you Cami."

"Isn't there anything anyone can do?" Evie got up from her chair. She didn't want to look like she was accusing the family of being incompetent but...they were the oldest vampire family. Everyone knew them to be dangerous. Even Marlenie boasted at times that her family had power beyond anyone's belief. Well, couldn't that power be used to save Marlenie?

"What else?" Nicolas urgently looked for someone else to give them another choice.

At that moment, Hayley entered the room holding a peaceful Hope on her hip. "How about a magical, miracle baby?"

"Oh n-n-n-n-n-no," Marlenie wagged her finger at her. "I will not use my baby sister like this-"

"She'll help," Hayley shushed her. "I'm going to go find Freya and then we're going to come back and do what we can." She then walked out of the bedroom with Cami and Hope to go find Freya.

"I don't want people to use their selves like this," Marlenie sighed, letting her head rest against the headboard.

"We are going to do what it takes," Nicolas vowed to her with fierce determination.

Marlenie's eyes flickered to Evie and then sighed again. "Evie, can I get a moment with my brother please?"

"Of course, I'm going to see what Xavier has found," Evie said an walked out of the room.

"Nicolas we have to settle this..." Marlenie found it harder to swallow right. There was a growing pain inside and she knew it would soon be impossible to even stay awake. "After this, Mum and Dad are going to be _very_ impulsive..." Nicolas didn't quite understand what she was talking about in the beginning. "Lucien is gonna get what he wanted: they're gonna leave the compound and try to fight him all...mad and stuff..."

"Wait," Nicolas came over in a quick stride to take Evie's empty chair beside the bed, "are you actually talking like you're going to...to..." he made gestures with his hands but he just couldn't say it out loud.

" _Die_?" Marlenie finished for him, watching how the mere word made her brother wince. "I'm not afraid to die, Nicolas. Death itself doesn't scare me."

"This isn't about being scared, Marls, it's the fact that you're dying because of Lucien!"

Marlenie smiled. "Oh, he's not winning the war. I leave that to my family."

Nicolas couldn't believe how easy she was taking all this. He suspected it was just an act she was putting on for their sake. He knew that his mother was barely keeping it together, and his father was barely holding himself back from finding Lucien himself. He himself was probably appearing like some crazy man going back and forth with new and old spells that could possibly work for them.

"Marls..." he spoke softly, no frustration for the moment. He looked at his sister again but found she was blinking rapidly, trying to stay awake. Nicolas leaned forwards and gently shook his sister but she wasn't paying attention anymore. He figured it was better to let her keep her energy and rest. As he properly laid her on the bed and fixed her pillow, he noticed Marlenie was staring at him through partially-opened eyes. "What are you thinking of, Marls...?" he asked after a moment.

Marlenie didn't answer as another memory began to take over her mind...

* * *

 _"It's not fair! Why don't you let me help you?" a five year old Marlenie planted on the log her five year old brother was sitting on._

 _Nicolas was trying his best to carve into a wooden piece he found from the village. "Because you are not good, Marlenie. Go see if the witches are being mean to Mummy again."_

 _Marlenie glanced back at the village they were forced to live in with disgust. "Mummy was fine. She said I could come play instead."_

 _"I don't want to play," Nicolas mumbled, much more interested in his craft._

 _Marlenie watched her brother continue with the craft for about a minute before releasing an annoyed breath. "You'll never be good as Daddy was - or is," she said with some brief though on it. "Mummy said Daddy knew since he was a boy, probably younger than you."_

 _"It would be easier if he was here to teach me," Nicolas stopped working and sighed._

 _"Yeah," Marlenie agreed. "And then aunt Rebekah would teach me how to braid my hair. Mummy says that's who taught her...but I don't think she was as good as aunt Rebekah."_

 _"I wish we could see them all," Nicolas lowered his gaze sadly._

 _Marlenie scooted closer to her brother and rested her head on his shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll find them one day."_

 _Nicolas glanced at her sister for a second. "Really? How do you know?"_

 _"I just do," Marlenie shrugged then reached for the wooden craft in Nicolas' hands. "And when we do find them, Daddy will teach you all he knows about crafting."_

 _Nicolas chuckled. "I hope so too, Marls."_

* * *

Marlenie took in a breath and closed her eyes. She fell asleep again and left Nicolas to wonder what she was seeing then.

~ 0 ~

Having no new choices, Nicolas returned to the basement where the dark objects were stored. He was going through his fourth box when Maleny walked in.

"Haven't gone back to Lucien yet, have you?" Nicolas muttered, surprising Maleny.

"Well excuse you, I'm going to forget you said that because I know you're not okay," Maleny sighed and walked further inside. She already had a great big lecture from Elijah - who could not be coaxed by Cami to let it go - about how she'd put herself in unnecessary danger.

As Nicolas hastily scoured through the box Maleny placed a hand on one of his wrists, forcing him to stop. Silently, he looked up to meet his mother's soft eyes. His cold demeanor faltered almost in a snap. "I don't want her to die, Mum…"

Maleny cleared one of his tears with a thumb and nodded. "I know you don't. That's why your pushing yourself for any salvation. I'm proud of you."

"I don't want you to be proud, I just want to save my sister."

"They tried Hope's blood but it didn't work," Maleny said, figuring it was best he knew now than later.

"We're running out of time!" Nicolas frantically said, looking around helplessly.

"Nick, please-"

"Mum, there just has to be another way! We can't - we can't lost her! I can't lose my sister again."

Maleny's eyes matched his in tears. Although she was smaller than him, she managed to hug him like a mother would.

Nicolas crumbled and buried his head in her neck. "After we lost you, Marlenie became my only companion. It was me and her, against the witches. And then aunt Dahlia came...and she took me. The last thing I saw was my baby twin crying as Dahlia took me away. I can't - I just _can't_ stand the idea to watch her-" his voice cut off as he pulled away to look at Maleny. "I won't be able to stand it."

Maleny didn't have the words he needed to hear. She held his head and kissed his forehead.

~ 0 ~

 _"My name is Marlenie Mikaelson, I am Marlenie...I am Marlenie..." a young Marlenie struggled to walk through the woods. Her face was dirty and sweaty, her clothes ragged and torn at some parts. She had already lost a shoe somewhere along the way and she was sure if she didn't find food soon she wouldn't last longer._

 _But that's what happens when you make a run for it from the village just waiting to sacrifice you._

 _Marlenie was only seven years old when she ran away from the witches who sacrificed her mother and harbored her original body. Without Nicolas there, Marlenie saw no reason to continue in the village. After she learned the witches were planning on now sacrificing **her** , Marlenie took the opportunity to run away. And so she did...days ago. Now she was tired and hungry._

 _"My name is Marlenie..." she told herself repeatedly just to keep herself in tact with reality. She nearly tripped over a rock but used a tree trunk to hold herself up and ignored the scratches she got from it. "Marlenie is my name, I am Marlenie..." she walked towards what seemed like a cliff ledge, and when she neared it she began to get the smell of different animals being cooked._

 _Down below was a village of some sort. Her blue eyes gazed over the small village with relief and joy._

 _"I am Marlenie..." she whispered and turned away, heading down towards the village, "...and I will **survive** ," she promised herself._

* * *

As Marlenie woke up, she began to hear different voices of her family in her room. She wondered how long she'd been outcold again. Fact was she definitely was not feeling up for conversations anymore. There were lumps in her throat and her whole body ached.

"What about switching bodies?" Cami was suggesting to the group in the room.

Marlenie groaned from her spot on the bed, shaking her head. "Noo…"

Klaus, who was sitting beside Marlenie looked to his sister for another alternative. "The pendant…?"

Freya looked down at the blue pendant necklace around her neck and sighed. "I'm sorry, but it only worked for Finn."

"But Nicolas has another one," Klaus said just as Nicolas and Maleny walked into the room. "Nicolas, you have your own pendant you created, no? We could use that for Marlenie..."

"I don't...I don't want to live in a pendant…" Marlenie made her stance known through struggles, "...nor...do I want to live in a-another body...just let me die…"

"Marls," Nicolas hurried towards the other side of the bed. "P-please…in the pendant you would be safe u-until I could figure a way to cure your body-"

Marlenie tilted her head up a bit, giving a weak smile to her brother. "Just...stay near me okay? I don't want to live in a pendant. If those are my choices then I don't want them. I choose death." Her eyes then gazed over to the rest of her family. "Please, allow me to make my choice."

Everyone looked to Maleny and Klaus for the final word but it was Elijah who spoke up for them. "We cannot take this away from Marlenie. It is the last thing she has, and she deserves to make her choice."

Maleny sniffled and looked at her daughter. Of course she would rather Marlenie reside in the pendant Nicolas created but she understood what it was like nearing death and she wouldn't want anyone to make the choice of how to die for her.

"I, um-" Marlenie coughed, "-I left a...a will...I think...I think Evie has it somewhere…"

"Marls, let us transfer you to a new body," Nicolas pleaded with her one more time, clutching her hand tightly.

"I don't want to…" Marlenie took in a deep breath, "...I...I lived for a thousand years on my own...as myself. If I shall die, I shall die as myself."

"That sounds like you," Maleny shot a brief look at Klaus who returned it with a bit of a smirk.

"I got a lot from my father I've heard," Marlenie managed to chuckle.

"Best of it, actually," Klaus decided to humor her, at least to see her focusing on something besides her pain. "But you didn't get everything from me, sweetheart. Bits of your mother live in you as well."

"I didn't give her that snappy attitude," Maleny followed in Klaus' footsteps to humor their daughter.

"The empathy you did," Klaus countered then glanced at Marlenie between them. "The woman you brought - Evie? She's told us about how you turned her. How you cared for her since she was a child. You rescued her from being sold off like a cattle."

Marlenie groaned lightly but still managed to keep the conversation going. "If there is one thing I detest it is men thinking they can use women as objects for their personal gain. In this case, Evie's father wanted to marry her off to anyone willing to pay a good deal. I couldn't let that go. So I didn't."

"That is all your mother," Klaus smirked at Maleny. "Me? Well, I didn't really care for anything up until a year ago when I found her again."

Maleny playfully rolled her eyes. "He cared, he just didn't know how to show it right. Idiot."

Marlenie chuckled. Her laughter was short lived as it became too painful to even do that. "I-I'm sorry...I can't...it hurts..."

"It's okay, it's okay," Maleny passed a hand through Marlenie's hair, sniffling a bit. "You don't have to talk, okay?" with teary eyes she looked at Klaus and Nicolas, begging for someone to come up with a solution to save Marlenie.

Neither had any.

Marlenie became a bit sleepy - at least it appeared that way. Her skin was becoming grayer, nearing desiccation, as her time came. With each moment it was easy to see how her strength slowly left her.

There were moments where she would tell them about a random moment in her life, and then at others it would appear she was falling 'asleep'.

In the end, however, Marlenie made only one more request.

~ 0 ~

"Nothing?" Evie came to stand beside the couch Xavier sat on. The two were pulling in their own string of contacts to try and help their dear friend.

Xavier had finished a phone call and defeated, shook his head. "Nothing."

Evie groaned and moved to begin her pacing again. "I cannot believe we're turning out to be this useless! Marlenie would be ashamed!"

"To be fair, Marlenie doesn't really care right now," countered Xavier. Evie continued her pacing, shaking her head continuously. "Evie, you can't be like this. If we can't figure it out-"

"We _will_ figure it out," the woman stopped abruptly, sounding like she was warning him not to say that line again. "Marlenie brags about her family, she believes in them, so I will too."

"There are just some things we can't always fix," Xavier sighed.

"I have to," Evie persisted. "Marlenie has always been there for me. It's time I return the favor for once. I owe her that much."

Before Xavier spoke again, they both heard a cellphone ringing. They eyed the cellphone that sat on the bar counter and immediately Evie rushed towards it.

"Evie!" Xavier scolded as the woman picked up the phone, which had turned out to be Cami's without their knowledge.

"Sh," Evie pointed a finger at him and took the call.

~ 0 ~

Everyone but Evie and Xavier had regathered in the room, now simply waiting the inevitable.

"The infection has spread everywhere, there is nothing more we can do," Freya sighed deeply, gazing her niece with a guilt-riddened face. "Nothing worked…"

"So that's it, then?" Cami glanced at the woman, heartbroken. "We just...let her go?"

"We have to."

"Let us go, then," Elijah motioned the women to leave the family once more. They each paid their respects to Marlenie already and it seemed better if only immediate family was with her in her final moments. As they walked out of the bedroom, Hayley came out of the nursery with hopefulness. Elijah shook his head at her.

At this point, Marlenie's skin was shimmering with beads of sweat as the infection truly spread everywhere. Marlenie was no longer conscious, her talking out-loud days had diminished.

But inside her mind, there was a different story being painted.

~ 0 ~

Marlenie took a deep breath with her eyes closed, feeling a light breeze hit her face. She stood in front of a street bridge that overlooked a canal with gondolas passing by below. Nicolas had done her the favor of casting an illusion spell over her and their family, all linked together by his power.

Her choice of place?

Venice.

"Promise me that...that when you visit here, you'll remember me," Marlenie spoke to her family, who stood a couple feet behind her. Unlike her, they all had tears in their eyes.

The minutes were single now, and counting down.

"Promise?" she glanced back at them, a short smile on her lips.

"I don't think I want to go anymore," Maleny said, swallowing a lump down her throat.

"Oh, but you have to," Marlenie turned around completely. "It was the family dream. Venice-" she gestured to the facade built for her mind, "-is far prettier than this, Mother. Promise me you will go. Promise me that you will drag my brother to every boutique you can find and make him carry all your bags." She flashed a little bigger smile at her brother. "Set him up with one of the Venetians. And then at night, let my father take you on one of those Gondolas and have the best date ever."

"Marlenie-" Klaus tried to cut her off but Marlenie spoke over and quicker.

Marlenie could feel herself getting tired, even in the dream state. She didn't have that much time anymore. "And then, late at night, just light one of those lanterns for me. Orange," she forced herself to smile through her own tears that had sprung up on her.

It was really hitting her now. She was going to _die_. She wasn't afraid...but she didn't want to go either.

"Make it go high in the sky, and watch it go to the stars...because that's where I'll be…" she paused, stumbling slightly and hitting the bridge beside her. Klaus quickly rushed to help her stay on her feet. Marlenie leaned her head on his shoulder.

Nicolas and Maleny ran forwards, helping Klaus settle Marlenie against the bridge.

"Marlenie, darling," Maleny called with a shaky voice.

Marlenie's eyes languidly blinked as she took in her family one last time. "I can go now..."

~ 0 ~

The rest of the family was waiting in the upstairs living room to hear about Marlenie. Before anyone came, though, they heard the distinctive sounds of three people coming into the courtyard. Well, one of them was Evie and she had sped Amarrah into the courtyard. Elijah came out to the rails to see Amarrah's looking straight up at him.

~ 0 ~

Many hours later, Marlenie bedroom had been cleared of any messes and as Maleny locked the door she felt the ground underneath her begin to shake violently. Too overwhelmed for one more catastrophe, she began to shout for Klaus. Although he had no idea what the hell was going on, he appeared beside her, holding her as she clutched his arms and buried her head in his chest. He dreaded this was part two of Lucien's master plan.

However, this was originated from a different sort of enemy.

"Mum? Dad?" Nicolas wobbled out from his own bedroom with a wheeling suitcase behind him.

"What's going on?" Freya came running out from the living room with Elijah and Cami.

"I'm gonna go check on Hope!" Hayley rushed right past them and hurried for the nursery.

"It's the Ancestors," Nicolas replied coldly, eyes looking around like something would pop out from nowhere. "They're up to something now that they're almost done with us."

"Which is why we need to get going," Amarrah called from the courtyard. "Evie and Xavier are waiting outside in the car, Nicolas. We should go. If the Ancestors know what you left behind, they'll want a good piece of you too."

Nicolas wished he could stay and put an end to those Ancestors himself, but bigger things called to him. He walked up to his parents, and with a fierce determination said, "This isn't over."

"No, it's not," Klaus agreed as he gave Nicolas a hug. "You need to be cautious while you're gone. The Ancestors may not be able to reach you outside the city's limit but it doesn't mean that'll be the end of it."

"I know how to take care of myself," Nicolas felt like he didn't need to remind anyone that he'd been on his own for quite some centuries, running and hiding from their crazy aunt. "Mum...you saw what I left for the Ancestors, alright?" Maleny nodded, holding back her sniffles. "I made a promise to Davina, and while things didn't exactly work out the way I wanted to...I know she did her part to help. I'm a man of my word and I intend on helping her too...even if I'm not here."

Maleny was proud to hear that and of course promised him she would deliver Davina the plan Nicolas had set up to take the Ancestors down. "You stay far away from here, no matter what. You listen to Amarrah and her family in everything. No contacts whatsoever." Though it was hard to promise, Nicolas made it for her. Maleny hugged him tight and kissed his forehead.

"We'll look after him," Amarrah promised the family as Nicolas came down the stairs. "And please, look after yourselves while we're gone."

"You need to leave before Lucien figures it out," Freya warned Amarrah. "He doesn't know anything about your coven and your location. You're the safe refuge for Nicolas...and if time sees it, for Hope as well."

Amarrah nodded. "If it comes to that, she'll always be safe with us."

And so, the Mikaelsons watched as two more of theirs were to leave the city because of Lucien's threat.

"This isn't over," Klaus said to them, easily getting agreeing nods.

"Lucien goes down, one way or the other," Maleny made that vow not only to the family, but to her children.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Yowzah what a chapter this was! I absolutely sobbed when I watched the episode on television. First came the tears then came the absolute anger for the ending. I don't think it helped that while I was editing this chapter the song "Terrible Love" came up on my shuffle list. For those of you who know, it was the song that played when Cami dies *sobs again*.

I can promise you that, as it was said, this is definitely _not_ over ;)

 **For the Reviews:**

I knooow, I love my girl but it is what it is .

Believe me, I did think about making the switch for Maleny but I decided against it in the end. I wanted Maleny to be there when Lucien got the axe xD.

I actually decided Marlenie would get the biting almost from the very moment I wrote her into the story lmao (after deciding Maleny wouldn't be bitten). It was definitely hard to write - like I even cried a little myself? And thank you so much! It really means a lot when someone says that about a story of mine! I despised Aurora too, so you know I love writing her lose here :D. I'm so sorry to hear that! it's totally okay to vent here, everyone needs to let it all out at one point. And I'm really happy to know I was able to help in some way! Again, thank you so much for your kind comments. Well, since we all know how the season ended I can't guarantee a total happy ending for this story right now...but who knows for the next one? (cos I have plans lmao).

Well hope the wait was worth it lol!

* * *

Soo...like...I just checked and there are 2 chapters left for this story...? Uh oh! xD.


	17. The Fallen

In the Quarter all remained undone from the previous night. Freya had completely delved into finding a way to kill Lucien once and for all, with the help of Vincent. There was nothing to do but an agonizing wait for the needed spells. They were practically locked within the boundaries of the compound, and what was one to do?

Just as Klaus emerged from one of the upstairs rooms he caught Maleny walking out of what was now the _locked_ room of their daughter. Without saying a word, he made a hasty move towards the room, catching Maleny just as she closed the door once more. She wasn't surprised to find him standing right behind her. Her eyes, being red, indicated what she'd gone inside to do.

"We agreed…" he softly began to remind her of the deal they'd made last night.

"I know," she whispered, shakily inhaling, "I...couldn't do it."

It was easy to understand, because Klaus had done the exact thing earlier when she had managed to get some sleep. It was impossible to stay out of the room that held all of Marlenie's things, a room that smelled like she was still there. Maleny couldn't wait for him to actually say anything again. She just hugged him, and immediately she was hugged back. The pain they felt was one they never thought they would ever live through.

~0~

"Useless to ask but had has there been any advances?" Cami walked into the room Aurora's body was being kept in.

Freya towered over the unconscious redhead seemingly reading from a spell book. "Mm, Vincent thinks he found a spell that'll draw together all the serum Aurora took. It may take a little while, but if we can concentrate it in her heart, we can extract it with this destroy it."

"That's great," Cami said, blinking rapidly with true joy.

Freya, too, shared some happiness as she raised her eyes from the spell book. "And I think I may have finally found a way to kill Lucien. My mother once tried to end my siblings by reversing the Original Vampire spell, and according to her grimoire, only the witch who cast the spell could undo it. Vincent created that serum; therefore, according to my mother, he can turn Lucien back and then Klaus can rip his head off."

"Even better," Cami said smirking.

"The only problem is Vincent used power belonging to the Ancestors so we may have some trouble there." Freya sighed. "Nobody alive can tap into that."

"I'm sure Vincent could find a way," Cami said, looking around the room. "Where is he, anyways?"

"Marcel was calling him, so, he'll be back in a bit," Freya closed the book and walked back to a table just as Elijah came in. Soon as he did, Freya declared, "I need a strand of your hair." Although he was initially confused, Elijah pulled a strand of his hair from head and handed it to Freya. "I'm working on an early warning system. Lucien has all the witch Ancestors in New Orleans on his side. I need to know if they tried to magically interfere with any one of you." She then threw a look over to Cami. Instinctively, Cami raised her hand to her loose hair. Freya nodded, indicated it was required of her as well. "Lucien is playing at any angle now, we can't take chances."

Elijah watched as Cami handed her strands of hair to his sister. "Freya, when we said no rest for the wicked, I certainly didn't expect you to…"

Freya raised a warning finger at him to stop talking. "I'm up against centuries of dead witches who are apparently now strong enough to reach beyond the grave and shake the entire city on its foundation. I'll rest once I've sent them all running back to hell."

And with that, she returned to work, leaving no room for further questions.

~0~

Kol, Marcel and Vincent stood next to Davina's corpse while they spoke of their plans. Granted, Kol wasn't paying attention that well. He was still in shock of what _he_ had done to Davina. He knew there was no point in saying he wasn't in control because it didn't matter. Davina was _dead_ because of him. The good thing was...that Davina was a New Orleans witch...and in New Orleans, anyone could come back from the dead with the right spell.

"Okay, we got to get her consecrated right now. If we don't we can't even attempt to get her back," Vincent warned them, but Kol flat out refused.

"We can't consecrate her! The Ancestors _despise_ Davina. If we consecrate her, she'll wake up in their domain, and they will destroy her."

Marcel could understand that, and he agreed, but it was the only way to bring her back. "If we don't, we never see her again."

Vincent was not about to stand and listen to them fighting. "That's enough. All right? We all want to help her, so we need to make sure that she's consecrated, but she's got to be safe so we're gonna pull her into a place where she's protected, then we can resurrect her. And that's gonna require a lot of energy, and my power's not what it used to be before I got shunned."

"All right, we need Freya," Marcel shrugged.

Kol scoffed. "You think my family's going to help? Nik hates Davina. Freya will not defy him."

"This wouldn't be happening if it wasn't for your family," Marcel snapped but then calmed himself to add, "Besides, Cami would never allow them to turn their backs on Davina. Maybe even Maleny would side with us."

On that point, Vincent agreed. Cami, at least, would be on their side and knowing what she had become for Elijah, he would be more inclined to help. That was something they were definitely going to use for Davina.

~0~

Elijah was the first to be met by Marcel and Kol in the courtyard and was thus given the news of Davina's death. He was, of course, stunned to hear what happened - and even more so when he learned _who_ had done it - but he couldn't afford the distraction. "This is a war. Please, understand, I despise the situation-"

"No-" Kol interrupted Elijah, "-that's the wrong answer!"

"Kol, I understand this girl meant something to you but we have a war to get through-"

"No," a different interrupted him this time. Maleny had appeared at the balcony upstairs, revealing a rather emotionless, or perhaps weary, face, that truly exemplified what it meant to be a mother of losses. "We help them, Elijah."

"Maleny-"

" _No_ ," her tone was rigid, unlike her face. "I'm not saying it again. After last night I think it should be clear that losing people is _not_ an option. Davina may have been a complex woman when it came to our family but the Ancestors do not get to take her away. We do not let her die forever."

Marcel gave her a civilized nod, thankful someone had made the argument.

Maleny gave them another look, eyeing Kol for a moment and of course making the connection of what happened. "Get yourself cleaned up, Kol. Davina will not like to see you so dirty." With that final instruction, she walked away.

~0~

Freya had been called upon and explained the issue on Davina, along with Klaus and Cami.

"I'll draw Davina's spirit to a circle. As long as she's there, the Ancestors won't be able to torment her," Freya quickly devised the plan. "With luck that will buy you some time to find a way to resurrect her, but I'll need to channel an Original if I'm going to sustain the spell."

Kol stepped forwards, volunteering. "Well, take me. Put me down for all I care, if it keeps her safe."

"No, you've been marred by the Ancestors' magic, so, Klaus, Elijah, rock, paper, scissors."

But before either brother could even remark, the candles over the table flares up violently.

"That can't be good..." Elijah frowned.

Freya quickly hurried. "My early warning system. I think a New Orleans witch is trying to meddle with one of you."

"Did Lucien finally find a way to get in?" Cami horribly asked. It wouldn't surprise her the new regent of the witches could find a loophole.

But then, Rebekah's portrait on the wall caught fire all on its own.

"No. He's going after Rebekah," Freya's eyes widened.

"Lucien thought that going after Marlenie would have me charging into his lair on a suicide mission. When it didn't, he set his sights on Rebekah. He's kicking hornets' nests, until we have no choice but to confront him," and Klaus hated admitting to himself that it was something he would probably do as well.

"Presumably, he still believes she's at the bottom of the ocean," Elijah reminded, hoping it would be enough to defer Lucien.

"I cloaked all of you, but with the Ancestors working for Lucien, it may take awhile, but if he wants to find Rebekah, he will," Freya warned, sighing afterwards.

"I'll go get her," Klaus said, moving to leave.

"It's not safe out there!"

"What then?! Are we to sit here and play cards until Lucien slides Rebekah's bitten corpse down the hall?"

"Let me go," Elijah offered but Klaus quickly shut him down with a revelation.

"I moved her," he admitted, and Elijah narrowed his eyes. "What, don't look so surprised. It was a good tactic."

"Tell me where she is, unless you expect me to stay here and leave our sister entirely defenseless."

"I expect you to prevent Kol from suffering another loss. Lucien deserves our collective ire. Today, your grievances are tabled."

~0~

Klaus knew it was too good to be true when he had made it to his car all on his own without anyone else trying to accompany him.

"It's cute you thought you'd be going alone," Maleny remarked. "Oblivious, but cute."

Klaus turned around to not only face her, but Hayley as well. "Seriously?"

"Look, Klaus, we both know how this is going to go down," Hayley began, Maleny nodding, "You're going to tell me that I can't come, and then I'm going to tell you that I love Rebekah, too."

"Then I'm going to say-" Maleny began to add, "-that if you don't let me come I'll stab you and come along anyways."

Klaus barely got to raise an eyebrow at her when Hayley continued with one very strong point.

"And I'm going to remind you that since I was cursed to be a werewolf for six months, I know every inch of the bayou. Now, unless you want to be delayed by an angry werewolf grandma with a shotgun, you should just let us come."

"Fine," went the man who saw all this as a point of waste.

~0~

When Davina was finally consecrated, she found herself on the hard ground of the Ancestral plane. Immediately she remembered what happened. "No. Kol," she sighed and moved to stand. The environment was made to look like the Quarter's cemetery.

Davina didn't take ten steps before someone called out to her. "We've been waiting for you, Davina."

With an unnatural magic, Davina was slammed against a room and telekinetically held there. Davina could begin to hear the overlapping voices of the Ancestors whispering around her. In a minute, she saw the woman she had sent to be murdered, Kara Nguyen.

"We have such plans for you," the woman promised. Davina could then feel the Ancestral spirits grabbing her as Kara neared her. "There will be nothing left of you." She then began a dark spell that quickly took effect on Davina.

It was becoming overwhelming, but just like that Davina was pulled back to the world of the living...halfway anyways.

She now stood in a circle prepared by Freya, and was in the compound courtyard where she immediately saw Kol and Marcel. "Whatever it is you did, thank you," she breathed a sigh of relief.

"What happened? What did you see?" Kol quickly asked after noticing her fearful face.

"Van's mother. Kara Nguyen. The witch I had assassinated. She was there. She tried to magically mark me. As she did it, I felt freezing cold and then this impossible sadness-"

Kol seemed to know just what she was talking about. "Did she have a dark green stone?" Davina nodded. "La Gemme Vital. The Lifeblood Stone. They tried to use it on me, but my vampire soul was too stained for their magic to work. Davina, if she had succeeded at marking you, your very soul would have shredded into pieces. A fate worse than death. There'd be no rescuing you. All right, that stone is your Ancestors' greatest punishment."

Davina's eyes widened for a moment but she relaxed knowing she was there now. "Well, it's a good thing she didn't then. I'm right here, and you're going to bring me back. Today right?"

Kol nodded fervently. "I swear it. It's Vincent. He's ready. We'll have the magic to resurrect you soon."

However, up above in Freya's room, on her balcony, she was discussing as well about Davina, or getting there anyways. "I think there's a way to kill Lucien," she admitted to Elijah.

"What is it?"

"As long as Davina's caught between our worlds, I can use her as a conduit to channel power from the Ancestors. The same power that was used to create Lucien. Once I have it, I can make Lucien killable again."

But of course due to their luck and how much precaution Freya had taken to speak about this, Elijah knew there was going to be a huge downside. "So what's the problem?"

"Everything comes with a price. In order to take power from the Ancestors, you have to steal it. Which means, to make Lucien killable, I'll have to draw through Davina, while she's in the Ancestral to do that, I will have to break the circle that protects her."

Elijah shook his head. "We can't do that. Freya, that will destroy her."

Freya agreed. "I know what's at stake, Elijah. I know. What the hell do we do?"

~0~

Of course Elijah had to call in the rest of the family in the Bayou to discuss the difficult matter.

Klaus held the phone in-between him, Maleny and Hayley as they listened to the case. "And Freya is certain this power will be enough to kill Lucien?"

"Yes. But we'd be placing Davina in terrible danger," Elijah said. "The only thing protecting her from the Ancestors is Freya's circle. Now, if it is broken…"

"They'll rip her apart," Maleny finished for him, having enough common sense to figure that out. The Ancestors despised Davina and would stop at nothing to destroy her. "Why are we even entertaining this idea? We're not doing it. Not at that cost."

"She's just a kid," Hayley added. "We can't do that."

"Find another way," Klaus ordered Elijah, "If we destroy Davina, we lose both Kol and Marcel. I won't have us all turning on each other. Keep looking, brother." He hung up after that.

"That was different," Hayley was the first to say after they continued on their way for Rebekah's coffin.

"Truly," Maleny agreed, although part of her showed more amusement than surprise.

"Don't even start," Klaus warned both of them.

Both women just smiled and walked the rest of the way in silence. They had found Rebekah's coffin and, between the three, brought it back to the car. As Hayley went for the car door, Maleny stopped at the edge and turned to Klaus.

"I think we should finally put an end to these Ancestors," she declared.

"I would love to but I'm fresh out of ideas in the meantime," he started leading her to her side of the car.

"But Nicolas wasn't," she reminded him sharply. "Remember? I haven't even talked to Vincent about it. As soon as we get back, that's going to be my mission."

~0~

"We can't do that, Elijah, we couldn't," Cami clapped a hand over her mouth in utter horror at the predicament they were apparently in.

Elijah sighed, he wasn't surprised this was her reaction. He just needed to tell her. He went to close her bedroom door so that they could speak better. Davina was still out with Marcel in the courtyard so precautions were needed.

"There has to be another way-"

"There _isn't_ ," Elijah cut her off sharply, bits of his frustration showing. "Freya is already trying to call Klaus to warn him that Lucien is moving."

"Wh-what is he going to do?" Cami stuttered.

"The worst, if he can manage." Elijah sighed and moved back to her. "Camille you once told me that you didn't feel like part of the family because I never consulted with you on an important decision we had to make-"

"That's not fair," Cami cut him off with a shaky breath. "We're talking about _killing_ someone. _Davina_ \- she's just a child. We kill her she doesn't come back anymore and that was never the case with Klaus."

"It's unfair," Elijah agreed, "but sometimes we only have the bad decisions to make. So? What do you think?"

"I can't…"

"Davina, or our family?"

Cami shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "You can't do this, you can't ask me to pick-"

"We don't have time anymore to find another alternative-"

Cami shook her head harder, shutting her eyes. "I can't - I don't want to pick. I can't do it, not this...I…"

Elijah couldn't watch her actually break down in front of him. He knew what he was asking of her, and he expected this very reaction. He took her into a hug and Cami immediately buried her head in his neck. "In truth I never expected you to make a decision," he finally told her. "I only wanted this time to be different and include you because to me, you are more than family, you know that." Cami pulled away to look up at him, tears more close to falling from her eyes. "I have already made my decision, as has Freya, and this is me standing in front of you - facing you like I should have done before - and I am going to do it. Do you want to help, or not?"

Cami stepped back, of course shaking her head. "I can't…"

"Very well," Elijah said, giving her a nod. "Stay here," he instructed and started to leave.

Cami despised herself for not being brave enough and go help him, and for not being able to stop him. She went to her door after he had left and slowly closed it, locking it even as if it would make a difference. She turned around and closed her eyes just as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

Elijah was right, sometimes the only decisions they had to pick from were the bad ones. But for this family, it seemed far too many times.

~ 0 ~

Elijah strode into the courtyard with Freya who walked in right behind him. "Forgive me, Marcel," he said right before grabbing Marcel and yanking him away from Davina.

Davina had barely time to blink before Freya seized her hands and began performing some spell. It didn't take long for Davina to realize what the spell was meant to do. She began seeing a flicker between the courtyard and the Ancestral plane as Freya continued the spell. "No, please. You'll break the circle! Please, please stop this!"

Marcel tried to fight against Elijah's grip, but being an Original meant there was a severe upperhand there.

Davina began to actually cry as she kept seeing more and more of the cemetery. "Don't do this to me! Don't make me go back, please! MARCEL!"

But Elijah had snapped Marcel's neck.

"No, please, let go! Marcel! No! Let go! Let go! Please let go!" Davina screamed as she was finally thrust back into the Ancestral plane.

Freya stepped back, breathing heavily from the excess of strength she had to give. She turned around to Elijah, completely guilty yet still firm on her decision. "It had to be done."

Elijah quickly took her out of the compound to hopefully find the others in the bayou.

~ 0 ~

After a sudden - yet not surprising - car crash, Klaus was able to pull himself out of said wreck with a mere cut on the head. His thoughts went to Maleny then Hayley as it seemed far too silent. Although, he soon spotted bits of blonde hair peeking from behind the tipped-over car. Rushing over he found quite the sight. It appeared Maleny's neck had been snapped and was just left on the ground. Meanwhile, Hayley had her neck snapped and a wooden makeshift stake shoved into her chest to make sure she stayed down.

But he had only made it halfway to them when Lucien appeared in-between. "Nik, I was hoping to run into you." He didn't waste time and punched Klaus, sending him against the crashed car. "Oh, is that it?" Lucien mocked him. "There's no fun if it's easy, at least Marlenie went down swinging."

Hearing his daughter's name brought up all the fury, and thus Klaus pulled himself off and engaged in the fight Lucien had craved for so long.

~ 0 ~

Once more - and permanently - set to the Ancestral plane, Davina had to quite literally run for the little remaining life that was still in her. The ancestors were now fully advancing on her, and she knew it was just a bit of time till they got her.

Kara Nguyen appeared and used magic to bring Davina to the ground. Davina was stuck there and was forced to endure the agonizing pain as Kara began the spell that would shred her soul to bits and pieces. She pointed the lifeblood stone at Davina, making some sort of carving symbol on Davina's forehead that would indicate when the spell was complete.

"No! Please! NO!"

But there was nothing to do, no one came for her, and once the mark on Davina's forehead finished, so was she.

~ 0 ~

Maleny's eyes snapped open and without a recollection of what exactly had happened, she raised herself up in a sitting position. She gasped as soon as she saw Hayley still impaled with the makeshift stake. Scrambling to the woman's side, she ventured to begin pulling it out when she started hearing the remnant sounds of the ongoing fight in the nearby cabin.

"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered and rushed to get up.

She sped into the cabin just as Klaus had been thrown into a cruddy bookshelf against the wall. Swiping a broom off the wall, she broke its handle in two and twirled it in her hand.

"Maleny you and I both know that's not going to do anything for you," Lucien turned on her with narrowing eyes.

"That's cute, you think I'm afraid. I'm _not_ afraid."

"Oh I know, but it's not you I'm trying to scare." Lucien clarified, and while Maleny processed the meaning behind those words, he sped towards her.

It was clear who he was intending on terrifying, at least in that moment it was.

"Mal!" Klaus pulled himself up to his feet and moved about an inch when Lucien turned himself holding Maleny's restrained arms behind her back.

"See?" Lucien wickedly smiled at her.

"Come closer so I can spit in that awful face of yours," was her flatout response.

Feigning offence he gripped her hands tighter and got straight to his point, one he was so happy to make actually. "I tire of this, Maleny. I blame myself for allowing you to develop this superior attitude on me. But, it cannot last. It won't."

The next sound was strange as Maleny had never felt something, much less a _hand_ , go through her back to her _heart_. When Klaus realized it he nearly lunged forwards but Lucien pulled himself and Maleny back, warning the hybrid to stay put.

"What is the point in killing _her_? You don't hate her. Y-you don't, you-you love her, remember that?" the words just seemed to tumble out of Klaus' mouth.

"Her immunity just expired," Lucien snapped. "Should've a long time ago but…" he bitterly laughed, "...what can I say? I am just a man afterall. But...no more."

"Not _her_ , don't…" for the first time Klaus felt himself at a severe loss of thoughts. If he dared to move against Lucien he wouldn't be fast enough to tear him away from Maleny, but if he didn't move he would be forced to stand there and watch Lucien pluck her heart out.

In the end, it was Maleny who spoke up. "If you're going to do it...then _do_ it. I'm not afraid to die."

"But _he_ does," countered Lucien, nodding over to the distraught Klaus across them. "So, indulge me," he said to the other man, "I might just spare the mother - the first - of your beloved twins. Let's see if you've learned a lesson in losing Marlenie. _Kneel_!" he barked in the end.

"What!?" it was Maleny who exclaimed in offence. "Are you out of-"

Lucien ignored him as he had a stare-off with Klaus, the latter seeming surprised himself with the order. "Get on your knees! And bow your head."

Klaus didn't move within the first minute, as the simple command meant a lot more than one would think. But he crossed eyes with Maleny, the latter who seemed outraged with Lucien but Klaus knew better than to stop there. She was afraid this time, truly afraid of the monster that held her.

"I can feel her heart pounding in my fist," Lucien almost sing-sang to get things moving. "Do you really want to measure your pride against my mercy? Expired, remember that."

With a defeated glare, Klaus went on to get on his knees as asked. He bowed his head soon after. But not a moment after, Hayley appeared and threw Lucien back. Along with her, came Elijah and Freya. Klaus quickly moved to get up and rushed to get to Maleny. Freya began to chant the spell that immediately began to take effect on Lucien. As the man tried getting up, he felt his new strength begin to fade. He began shouting in the same amounting pain and was forced to drop on his knees.

When Freya stopped, the smirk on her face could not be outmatched. "His power's gone. He's nothing but an ordinary vampire now."

"And thus the beginning of the end," Maleny managed to say with her own wicked smile.

"You can kill me but the prophecy still stands, you cannot outrun it," Lucien warned, although he was now being covered in his own fear at being back to his usual disadvantage. He was being held by Elijah and Hayley and was unable to move.

"I've heard about 1000 years too much from you," Klaus moved forwards. "For a century you lived with my name and you never did quite recover from losing it, did you? You became a man of wealth and stature but you never could crawl from my shadow, and in the end, despite the gift of immortality, you have always known what you truly are. You are _nothing_." He grabbed a piece of a broken glass and used it to cut Lucien on both sides of the mouth much like Tristan had once done long ago.

Maleny watched with some sort of satisfaction, and realized it was nothing compared to the first time she had ever seen that move. She knew what she wanted, she had been sure long ago, and now it was just good to see it in the open.

But, of course, before he had to die, she wanted to make one last puncture.

"Who would have predicted you would lose?" she had stopped Klaus from pulling Lucien's heart out for a moment. "But before you go, I'd like to share a last secret with you, just so that you know you went out _fully_ losing."

She shared a brief look with Klaus, and he instantly knew what she was doing.

 _God, he loved her_. He stepped back and allowed her to continue.

"You hated me so much that you went after my children, and you killed one of them…" she leaned closer to Lucien, who seemed a bit perplexed, "...or so you thought," she whispered, pulling back to see Lucien's eyes widen.

* * *

The rest of the family was waiting in the upstairs living room to hear about Marlenie. Before anyone came, though, they heard the distinctive sounds of three people coming into the courtyard. Well, one of them was Evie and she had sped Amarrah into the courtyard. Elijah came out to the rails to see Amarrah's serious face looking straight up at him.

 _"She's in her final moments," Elijah quietly spoke._

 _"I found a way, Elijah," Amarrah said, breathlessly like she had been the one running. "M-my coven - they found a solution but Marlenie **needs** to be alive for me to do the spell!"_

 _Without a warning, Evie sped the woman upstairs for her to explain the solution to the rest. Soon, she went back for Xavier and returned._

" _But a sleeping spell?" Maleny made it known her beliefs on those types of spells. "I'd be...cursing my daughter to sleep as I once was?"_

" _This is different, I promise," Amarrah said as she began making preparations for the spell. She had brought the things she needed from her apartment and was setting them on a small table in the bedroom. "It's only been done once in my family's history, and it worked, okay? All I have to do is link Marlenie's life to someone else - preferably a strong person who's similar in age, or older."_

" _This would keep her alive?" Klaus raised an eyebrow, looking ready to do anything that was required._

" _Yes, in the meantime we find a cure of Lucien's bite Marlenie would be safe and sound inside a world created by the spell," Amarrah stopped and looked at them. "But we need to do it **now** before she slips away."_

" _Then take me," Klaus offered himself right up. "Old, strong, what else?"_

" _Yes, great candidate but you're forgetting the part where Lucien is hellbent on killing you," Amarrah reminded sharply. "It only takes one bite, and if you go then Marlenie is a goner. It needs to be someone else."_

" _But there **isn't** anyone else," argued Maleny. "Elijah's in the same predicament. Cami, Hayley and I are too young. Who else?"_

" _Me," came the faint whisper of Evie who had just realized it herself. Everyone turned to her with crazy looks. "I can do it," she continued, slowly coming around to the idea. "I'm old enough - Marlenie turned me just a couple years after we met. I'm strong enough."_

" _We don't even know you," Nicolas scowled at the woman, but it went unaffected._

" _But I know Marls. She's like my sister," Evie countered firmly. "She saved me from an abusive father and turned me because she thought that I could be like a sister to her. We have gone through thousands of years together, creating our company, and she always talked about her family. She wanted to meet all of you, and I helped her in every way possible to find you guys. Well, now she found you, and she's losing you again. I'm not letting her go. So," she turned her head to Amarrah, "take me."_

 _Amarrah looked over to Maleny and Klaus for the last confirmation this is what they wanted. This was their choice. The two glanced at each other, and realized that Marlenie had one last possible way to stay alive that didn't include switching bodies. Evie was willing to link her life to hers, and they would not stand in the way._

" _Hurry," Maleny ordered._

* * *

Maleny loved seeing that stupefied look on Lucien's face. "Congratulations, you got _nothing_ ," she spat. "As we speak Amarrah, Nicolas and Xavier are in France - with Amarrah's entire coven - keeping Marlenie and Evie safe while looking for a cure to your bite."

And, in the next minute, Klaus pulled Lucien's heart right out.

~ 0 ~

Returning to the compound knowing what had happened made the winning not so impacting. Coming into the upstairs lounge, both Klaus and Elijah found Marcel drinking the last of a whiskey in a small glass.

Soon as he felt their presence, Marcel threw said glass to the walk and turned around furiously. "I did everything you asked. I joined your stupid cult-" he gestured to Elijah, "-so that you could save Cami. I left my friends in the dust because that's what you _needed_! I fought for Hope! I kept Hayley _breathing_ , I kept white oak from piercing your cold black heart. I did everything."

And of course he was right. Both brothers knew that. "We know," Elijah tried to say but Marcel wasn't having it.

"No you don't. No you don't!"

"Marcel he had no choice!" Klaus stepped in, but Marcel had for him as well.

"Oh they were right about you yeah, Aurora, Tristan, Lucien. Anybody who's not your family, is nothing to you. Nothing."

"Marcellus, you are family-"

"No I'm not," Marcel left it loud and clear. "Not anymore. Never again. I am not your family!" he stormed out of the room ignoring the calls of his name.

~0~

A distraught Cami sat at the edge of her bed when Maleny walked in. Cami briefly looked up to meet Maleny's eyes before shaking her head and letting more sniffles out.

"I helped do it," she said full of shame. "I helped kill Davina."

"No, Elijah said you stayed up here-"

"It's the same thing!" Cami looked up again, wearing an expression of anger and guilt. "He asked me what choice I wanted, and I couldn't do it. All this talk about being brave and included meant nothing at the hour. I just stood there and let it happen."

"I think we both know Elijah knew you weren't going to be able to decide," Maleny softly said. "He knew you too well."

"It was Davina," Cami covered her face. "The girl I once helped escape from an attic...and I let her get killed. I couldn't make that choice, and it scared me that Elijah could. That Freya could."

"This family has lived for centuries, Cami. They've had to make the worst decisions to survive. And yeah, not all of them were good."

"I don't want to be like that," Cami said in horror. "I don't ever want to become like that."

"You won't," Maleny smiled. "You are far too _you_ to become like this. And that is why Elijah needs you. To remind him there are other ways."

"But i couldn't stop him today," Cami shook her head.

"Well, to be fair this was out of our hands. The decision was made before he even came to you."

"Now what?" Cami looked away. "Marcel is furious, and with good reasons."

"Now…" Maleny sighed and came to sit beside Cami, "...we make things right for Davina. As best as we can."

Cami eyed her cousin suspiciously, and wearily. She knew that glint in Maleny's eyes meant there was already a plan forming in that head.

~0~

That following morning Klaus was mildly surprised to find Maleny emerging from their bathroom donning all black clothing. He already had plans for the day concerning Marcel, but he had yet to hear what hers were. "Dare I ask?" He raised an eyebrow at her as she moved to her mirror to button up the last of her blouse's buttons.

"I know Davina is being buried today, and I'm going... _after_ -" she added when she saw Klaus opening his mouth to share his disagreement, "-Marcel and the others leave. Cami is coming as well."

"Oh, I imagine how that is going along with Elijah," Klaus mused, on some part happy to know that Elijah was beginning to see how difficult women truly were sometimes.

"But it's adorable how you Mikaelson men think you can still tell us what to do," Maleny turned around with a smirk.

"Maleny you know that at the moment it's not very safe out there. And knowing Marcel is in some rage mode I would rather you stay in here."

"But what difference would it make?" Maleny challenged, crossing her arms as she walked up to him. "Marcel's been invited here. If he wanted to hurt me - which I doubt I made the list yet - he would've done it by now."

Klaus gave her a look of resignation. "Will you at least answer my calls?"

Maleny nodded. "Done deal. But don't get overprotective and call every five minutes because I swear I will s-"

"Stab me?" Klaus finished with a widened smirk.

"No, I was just going to stay I'd stop kissing you, but if you'd like that instead…" Maleny raised her hands, agreeing to whatever he wanted.

"No more stabbing, then?"

"Not since he's gone," Maleny replied with a mutter. "And by the way, I don't think I've thanked you for doing what you did yesterday." Klaus remained still, unsure of what she was talking about. "The great ole Klaus Mikaelson bowing down to someone else? Someone he absolutely detests?" Maleny sprawled her arms over his shoulders.

"I would do anything for you," Klaus responded, thinking it was obvious. "Don't care what it is, Mal. I lost Marlenie because of him...it wasn't going to be two now."

Maleny leaned up to press a small kiss to his lips. "We'll have her back one day, I know we will."

Klaus liked to think they would have just a bit of luck and have their daughter back with them.

~ 0 ~

Cami and Maleny both stood in front of Davina's freshly built tomb, both sure that Marcel and anyone else who might have cared for their friend were long gone.

"I don't even know what to say," Cami said, hanging her head low with shame and guilt. "I didn't physically hurt her, but...I let it happen…"

Maleny took in a breath before she began speaking. "Davina Claire, no amount of apologies will _ever_ make this better. We had our fights, we had words said, but I never wished you any harm. You deserved better, and although you can't come back, I'm going to make sure those Ancestors get what's coming to them. Nicolas and you had a deal that I intend on carrying out. Wherever you are, if you can hear, know that this isn't over."

Cami glanced at her cousin, now in the loop of the idea in Maleny's head. She was outright scared to deal directly with the Ancestors, but Davina deserved some sort of retribution...and she was going to help in whatever manner she could.

~ 0 ~

Freya had sprawled across the bones of a body and placed an empty bowl at the center of said table. As she was pouring in blood into it, Kol walked in. "I didn't think anyone was here," Freya mumbled.

"I don't suppose they went to Davina's funeral," Kol began sourly, aiming daggers at his sister. "Remember her, love of my life, condemned to an unknowable hell?"

Freya looked up, taking in the snaps with great patience. She knew she had it coming, but it wasn't easy.

"What's this?" Kol came up to the table, feigning interest. "Busy desecrating more dead? Is this to be your hobby now?"

Freya reached to take the skull he had picked up and gently placed it back on the table. "When Lucien died, he was convinced the prophecy would still unfold. I need to know if he was right. These are the remains of his oracle Alexis. Hers was the power I barely understood but now that my own strength has been augmented by the ancestors, I can try to channel her, forecast as she did and find out if Lucien was right or if we can put this nightmare behind us."

Kol remained unaffected. "I personally hope the bloody prophecy is true, you can all rot in hell for all I care. I'm just sorry I won't be around to see it."

"Where are you going?" called Freya as he turned to leave.

"None of your business, alright? There is nothing for me here."

"Kol, you know that's not true. Your family-"

Kol turned around, suddenly expressing part of the rage he had for the family. "Do not lecture me about family, sister or not! Now you may have spent your entire life searching for us, but I never for a second wanted you."

Freya swallowed hard and turned back to her table, blinking rapidly to free her eyes of her tears.

~ 0 ~

"What are _you_ doing here?" Vincent made a face of pure disgust as Maleny walked into Rousseau's, but the blonde was over what he thought.

"We have things to do, Vincent," she plopped down on the stool next to him, ignoring his confused face. "Word on the street is you have what I'm looking for."

"Yeah, like what?" Vincent questioned, really doubting she nor anyone else from Mikaelsons had figured out yet that he had taken the remaining serum from Aurora's body.

Maleny reached into her purse and pulled out several folded papers from it. She set them on counter between them and began unfolding one by one. "My son, Nicolas, originally made a deal with Davina that would end the Ancestors and thus free Kol from his curse-"

"Yeah, well, the Ancestors are officially done with Kol, haven't you heard?" Vincent sarcastically responded, but once again Maleny remained unfazed.

"Yeah, well, _I'm_ not done with _them_ ," she replied back and crossed eyes with him. "Because I didn't agree with what happened to Davina." Vincent scoffed, clearly unbelieving it. "And I don't care if you don't believe me, what I care is that you help me make sure their deal goes through."

"Let's say I wanted to help you - which I don't - I'm fairly curious as to what you could have come up with."

"I didn't come up with anything, but Nicolas did. And you are key to it."

"Entertain me," Vincent challenged.

Maleny smirked. "With pleasure." She slid one of the papers to him and began her explanation. "Upon coming home, Nicolas made it his business to learn the Quarter's and Algier's supernatural history. This was how he learned the tragedy that was your wife, Eva? Remember her?" Vincent looked away, clearly not interested in reliving that part of his life. " Nicolas was curious about this woman who we vanquished long ago, and so he started going through some of her background." She then slid the next paper to him. "In it he found one peculiar case involving Eva and the Quarter's witches. She made something, Vincent," she said just as the man unfolded the second paper, "and we both know you know where it is."

"I don't...even understand…"

"You do, you just never thought of it," Maleny calmly said. "But Nicolas did. That object Eva created was meant to siphon power away from your Ancestors. Well, surprise, it can be beneficial now. Nicolas was planning on using it with Davina to get rid of the Ancestors' connection with the coven. I want to use that thing now."

Vincent eyed her, very much in shock of the idea. He especially didn't like the fact _she_ had presented it. She wasn't a formal Mikaelson but it was the same thing with her - she acted like one of them.

~ 0 ~

"Can't believe I'm actually working with you," Vincent grumbled, missing Maleny roll her eyes as this was about the fifth time he repeated that statement since they, along with Cami, had started for an old apartment in the Algiers.

"Yes, yes, I'm despicable person-"

"Oh," Vincent came to a sudden stop, turning halfways to the women, "I don't think you're a despicable person. But I've no doubt in my mind that given the time, you'll soon become exactly like the Mikaelsons." There was a lingering look on Cami that she didn't miss. "And it's a real shame," he added, but Cami knew those words had been directly for her.

Maleny once again rolled her eyes. "I know who I am in love with, Vincent. I know who he is, what he's done, what he's capable of, and I just don't care. I acknowledge who he is, but I am hopelessly in love with him. I don't agree with his tactics but sometimes your only decisions are the bad ones."

Vincent scoffed and continued to walk.

"I mean, just yesterday, Lucien had me by the _heart_ -" Maleny continued sharing, seeing Cami's eyes widen of horror, "-and I figure it was more or less as when Davina was killed. So tell me, how does one choose who to save?"

"Of course they were going to save _you_ ," Vincent gave her another disgusted look.

"As you would have saved Davina first," Maleny countered. "She would have been your first priority-"

"You have lived for a thousand years-"

This time Maleny spoke over him, louder, "And let me remind you that very few of those years were lived by the actual _me_. I was young when I was thrust into the curse, and for the rest of the centuries I was forced to live and die over and over again until last year. So yeah, I've lived, but it wasn't me. Shouldn't I have gotten a chance to survive?"

"That's cold," Vincent spat.

"Isn't it? But that's my point, Vincent, the strong get to survive, and sometimes, even some of them end up dying as well."

"That means nothing for Davina," Vincent scowled.

"I know," Maleny looked straight ahead.

Vincent brought the two women into an abandoned house that used to be Eva's and his, but they could both tell Vincent hadn't stepped foot in there by all the ruins. It was one brick away from falling apart.

"Why are we here?" Cami asked after a couple minutes of being inside.

"Because this is where Vincent is hiding it," Maleny responded with eyes glued to Vincent.

The man was pushing away a sofa from the wall. He ripped away some of the wall paper to reveal a hole in the wall. Inside was a lone metal box.

"And the box…?" Cami asked while Vincent dusted off said box.

"Once upon a time, my crazy ex-wife Eva, she tried to siphon the power of our ancestors, and she created this," Vincent pulled a circular object with peculiar symbols sprawled across it. "It's called "Un depot d'argente." It's a mystical battery cell. It's capable of storing all kinds of just negative mojo."

"Nicolas theorized that if it was placed in the right place it would be enough to sever the ancestor's connection to the world of the living," Maleny finished explaining. "Was he right?" she asked Vincent.

"Yes," Vincent answered within the next second. "It could work…"

Maleny shared a brief look of satisfaction but remained serious and reserved for the most part. "What do you need us to do?'

"I don't want your help,' Vincent began, but Maleny interjected.

"I didn't ask. You wouldn't have even figured it out if it wasn't for my son and me. You can hate me, I don't care, I probably deserve it, but you and I have a common enemy right now that could kill us at any moment. We destroy it together today, and tomorrow you will never have to speak to me again." She spared a glance at Cami. "What you and Cami decide for your friendship stays between you two. Is that a deal?"

Vincent glared at the woman, but knew when to semi-lose. Besides, he preferred dealing with her and Cami over the Mikaelsons any day.

~0~

With some help from compelled officers, the trio were able to clear out a whole section near the voodoo shops. According to Vincent, it was the best place to conduct the action.

"So how are we going to do this?" Cami asked for a clear answer.

Vincent was already preparing for the ritual with some jats from the voodoo shop. "Cemeteries in New Orleans were designed to house the spirits of our ancestors. And there are places, sacred places that help them focus their energy so that they can access this world.

"Theoritically, it could be like a cornerstone of the link between the living and the dead?" Maleny inquired.

Vincent nodded. "It's the seat of their power and the means through which they influence this world. I'm gonna go into their world with this, and I'm gonna use every drop of power and crack the foundation."

"Cutting off the signal," Maleny smirked.

Cami didn't like to hear that last part from Vincent. "Wait a minute...you can't go into that world. That would mean…" Vincent briefly looked up to confirm her thoughts. "No!" Cami exclaimed. "Absolutely not! We're not losing anyone else! Maleny, tell him!"

"I'd love you but we can't exactly take his place," Maleny bluntly responded with. "We're vampires, Cami. It's not our world."

"And thus another one falls," Vincent gave her a sharp look.

Maleny tilted her head. "You could have said no."

"Vincent…" Cami pleaded.

Vincent shook his head. "What I need you to do is handle things on this end, all right? A magical surge that big is gonna send out shockwaves throughout all our cemeteries."

"We can do that," Maleny agreed.

"Do whatever you have to do, but make sure there is no one around when this thing goes down."

"Got it," Maleny repeated but then paused when she felt a familiar presence. "Well," she began to turn around, "and here I thought your brother was the one going to follow me today. Kol."

~0~

Elijah had surprised both Klaus and Marcel at the nearby bridge connecting the Quarter's entrance and the exit road. It truly terrified Elijah to see the exact sight Freya predicted Marcel would inevitably become the beast the prophecy truly had foretold.

Klaus, knowing nothing of that, turned to his brother in annoyance. "Elijah, this is a private conversation. Your concerns can wait."

"No, they cannot," Elijah shot him down.

Marcel looked between the two brothers in amusement. "Same Mikaelson drama. One of you is trying to make peace, the other one is eyeing me like I'm a rabid dog."

Elijah, nowhere amused, stepped forwards. "Well then tell me my concerns are unfounded Marcellus."

Marcel took that with offence. "Oh, what I got to prove myself? To you? Davina was like a daughter to me and you condemned her to a fate worse than death. So how is it _my_ job to prove _myself_ to you?"

"You tell me where it is-"

Marcel raised his eyebrows. "What? This?" he revealed to owning the last portion of the serum.

~0~

"You're not going to blow up the ancestral well by yourself," Kol had come in directly for Vincent.

Vincent groaned. It was enough to deal with two semi-Mikaelsons but now it was sheer agonizing pain to deal with a true Mikaelson. "Kol whatever help you're trying to offer me, I'm not interested."

Kol didn't take that for an answer. "I'm coming with you. I'm not asking for permission. Besides...Davina's the one who brought me here."

"I thought Davina was gone," Maleny furrowed her brow.

"Parts of Davina remain," Kol explained. "Fragments of her soul bound to those she loved. I saw her! And she's reaching out to me, and I have to reach back. I need to see her."

~0~

"What the hell is that?" Klaus fiercely demanded of Marcel, eyeing the vial with weariness.

"That, my dear brother, is a wicked little gift from our friend Vincent," Elijah responded.

Marcel just smiled. "I guess he figured better me than Aurora and now that I got it, I can't help but think why not take it? I mean loyalty never got me anywhere and the only thing you respond to is a show of force."

"Marcellus, end this foolishness right now."

Marcel scoffed. "Or else what? I mean we're family right. Why would this little serum have to change anything, other than the simple fact that I would be your equal. Oh, yeah, I figured you could never live with that."

Klaus wasn't up for games anymore. "You hand it over right now and I will forgive this act of defiance as a moment of weakness brought on by your grief."

Marcel feigned confusion. "Oh that's funny. I thought you came asking for my forgiveness, but you like it better this way don't you? Me owing _you_. And all that pretty fair tale about me being part of the family. That only works if _you're_ in control. Klaus Mikaelson, smiling down like a benevolent king. Showing mercy to all his subjects. But you still have to be the king! Don't you? The thing about kings, though...Eventually they all fall...Even you, Klaus…"

Elijah started looking around as the lights of the lantern flickered. It was truly becoming like the scene he saw through Freya's vision.

~0~

"You need to make sure no one is around," Vincent warned both Maleny and Cami again after finishing their set up in the cemetery.

"It's the only thing we can do, rest assured we'll do it right," Maleny replied.

Josh walked in, looking pretty from and snarky. "Well, there ain't no party like a cemetery party."

Kol ignored him and got urgent. "Did you bring it?"

"Yeah," Josh pulled out a record, confused. "Davina's favorite record." Kol took it instantly and broke it into pieces. "So how exactly does an Original vampire get to go to witch purgatory."

Kol handed the record pieces to Vincent who now sat within the boundaries of a circle on the floor. "I died a witch, I spent months there, trapped and tormented by the ancestors," he explained as he sat down with Vincent. He used a knife to cut his own palm and let the blood stop.

"Once we cross over, we're gonna be in enemy territory," warned Vincent. "We're gonna have to move quick to conjure Davina and get the bomb set. Otherwise the ancestors are gonna shut us both down."

"Is that hemlock?" Cami frowned when Vincent pulled out a vial of a potion.

"Old school...Respect," Josh commented just as Vincent drank it down. Both men took Josh's hands and laid on their backs.

Within the next minute, Vincent chanted the required spell sending them both to the witch purgatory.

Cami nervously looked over to Maleny. "What now?"

"We do as we were told," she replied calmly.

~0~

Elijah was losing his patience as Marcel continued to talk and talk without letting go of the vial. "Give it to me now. I won't ask you again Marcellus."

That infuriated Marcel more. Were they not listening to him? "My name..is _Marcel_. And I'm not giving you a damn thing!"

Klaus was also growing impatient, and admittedly afraid. "I can't allow you the means to destroy my family."

Marcel looked like he had has finally gotten what he wanted. " _Your_ family. Right. Thank you!"

"Klaus...Marcel will betray us. I saw it with my own eyes," Elijah began to say.

"I will betray you?" Marcel bitterly laughed. "I asked, _begged,_ for your help and you left Davina to rot. You put down Lucien because he was coming for you, for your family, but the thing is, _you_ made Lucien. You turned him, taught him, and then _abandoned_ him. And you blamed Lucien because it's always somebody else's fault. But maybe _you_ were the villains in his story. After all, that is the Mikaelson way, right? Kill, maim, torture, all in the name of family. Always and forever," he paused, unable to get a feel from those petty words. "I used to admire that vow. It gave me the thing that had been beaten out of me. Faith in those you love. I was a fool. Always and forever is just an excuse to do whatever the hell you want. Maybe...It's time someone put an end to that."

"You are treading very close to a dangerous decision," Elijah took another step forwards. "I'm asking you to choose wisely."

"Fair enough," Marcel remarked and looked at the vile for one minute before expressing his made decision."

Klaus tried to get the vile from him but Marcel pushed him away.

"You can't stop me Klaus!" Marcel shouted.

"I only mean to keep you from crossing a line you would most certainly regret-"

"No, you meant to keep your precious upper hand," Marcel snapped. "Don't you get it? Whatever I have to do, Klaus I will find a way to hurt you. You will never be safe, not as long as I am alive. You can call me family all you want, I am done being your friend. From this day forward, I am nothing less than your worst-"

But Marcel didn't get to finish that sentence as something went through his chest. Stumbling and falling over the bridge, Elijah was revealed to be behind holding Marcel's very heart in his hand.

"NO!" Klaus raced to the bridge in time to see Marcel's body splash into the water.

~0~

It was a bit of a shock to see Vincent breathing back to life. He saw Josh sitting there, but Maleny and Cami were no longer there. Josh gave him an odd, concerned, face. He was pretty much under the impression that Vincent was supposed to stay dead. However, Davina being Davina, refused him to stay.

Now Kol remained with her on the other side, and were meant to finally set up the spell to destroy the connection.

Davina, reconstructed thanks to Vincent and his spell, was getting teary as she knew these were truly her last moments with Kol and, well, being conscious. "Kol can you do me a favor? Can you tell Josh not to be sad? Tell him that one really good friend is more than enough and that most people don't get that. And tell Marcel thanks for being my family. And...I know you're not on speaking terms with them, but...Nicolas, he did his part, kept his word...he truly is different than the rest. Tell him thank you from me."

Kol gave a small nod. "I'll tell them all," he promised.

"Okay," Davina said, smiling nervously, "I don't know how to say goodbye to you."

Kol chuckled, nervous as well. "Do you know the first time that I saw you?"

"In the record store," Davina thought she remembered, but Kol shook his head.

"No, it was before that," he took her into his arms, "I was dead for ages Davina. And when I woke up, it was a mess of manipulation and family drama in a body I didn't know. All this anger I couldn't shake. And that very night, I saw you leaving the church with this look on your face like the whole world was on your shoulders. You brushed up against some dead flowers and you stopped. You looked around and you brought those flowers back to life with your magic and you smiled and something inside of me cracked wide open. I was dead for ages, Davina Claire, and only then did I feel alive again." The two hugged tightly, both crying. "I love you."

"I love you too," Davina said and the two shared their last kiss before Kol had to go.

~0~

Out in the world of the living, the ground began to rumble as an earthquake were striking through. Everyone who had participated knew it was Davina Claire, giving the Ancestors a final blow.

Parts of the cemetery burst into fires while other tombs and crypts crumbled into nothing. Everyone there had to run before they were engulfed with the destruction.

"Give 'em hell, Davina Claire," Kol smirked before needing to head out of the cemetery as well.

~ 0 ~

When Maleny returned to the compound it was dark out and, without her knowledge, there had been a new grim atmosphere that had settled over. After explaining hers and Cami's doing to Freya, the two blondes parted for the night to get some rest (and showers). Maleny walked into her room to find Klaus standing out in the balcony.

"You will not believe what your son helped me do," she began, throwing her jacket to the nearby chair of her vanity desk. "We actually destroyed the connection between the Ancestors and the coven," she laughed and walked out. "Like, they're _gone_ for good." But then she noticed Klaus' grim face, and knew something had not gone well in _his_ plans. "What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

"Marcel was going to take the serum Vincent gave him...and Elijah killed him," he responded in such cold despair.

Maleny's eyes widened for various reasons then. First, she didn't even know Marcel had somehow acquired the remaining serum from Vincent - who had to have stolen it from Aurora's unconscious body. Second, she just couldn't believe that Elijah had actually killed Marcel. She knew that Marcel had been like a son to Klaus, so it meant a lot that his own brother had done that.

"I...I'm sorry, I don't even know how to...comfort you," she finally said after a long pause.

"There is nothing anyone can do," Klaus turned away from the sight and walked back into their room.

Maleny ran a hand through her hair, looking back out to the city.

It truly seemed like they could never win no matter what.

~ 0 ~

Cami walked into her own bedroom thinking it would be alone - as it should be - but came to find Elijah already in there, his back to her, by one of her windows.

"I'm going to put a bell on you," Cami teased and shut the door behind her. "Anyways, you're going to want to hear what Mal managed to do with the Ancestors…" but she trailed off when Elijah made no distinct response to her words. It didn't take long for her know something had occurred during her absence in the compound.

She should really begin getting used to this sort of phenomenon.

Weary, she sighed and crossed her arms. "What...what happened now?" she dreaded to know.

Elijah slowly turned around to reveal a distraught face, one that Cami had yet to see in her lifetime.

"What...happened?" she whispered.

"I killed him...I killed Marcel…" the way Elijah had said it indicated even he was still trying to process the fact HE he had done it.

Cami's face contorted to pure horror. Slowly her hands reached up to cover her gaping mouth, but her eyes were left uncovered and the tears that quickly filled them were visible.

"Freya showed me the prophecy was still coming...and I kept seeing it, and seeing it…" Elijah shook his head, his own eyes becoming teary. He was afraid of her rejection, knowing how important Marcel had been for her once upon a time. "He took the serum siphoned from Aurora's body and I...I panicked…"

Cami dropped her hands from her mouth, now a bit confused. "Marcel had the serum…" but she soon realized where it had originally come from, "...Vincent," she sighed, closing her eyes for a moment.

Of course. Of course Vincent would be mad enough to give Marcel the serum and see what he would do with it. And of course Marcel would openly show it to Elijah and Klaus, probably throwing in some threats somewhere along the way.

"Oh, Elijah," she deeply sighed again.

"Forgive me, _please_ ," the Original nearly had a breakdown in front of her. Cami was surprised to find him in such a state, honestly. He had come up to her, taken her hands tightly into his, face matching his pleads.

Cami took a breath in, really taking a moment to think. "You panicked...you became paranoid...acted on impulse…" she took one of her hands out from his hands and placed it over his cheek, "...but I think, over everything, you have to forgive yourself. Don't seek mine."

"I don't...want _you_ to...go…" Elijah willed himself to look her in the eyes, revealing his fear.

"I won't go anywhere," Cami said, smiling lightly. "I think we both know I'm pretty much stuck here…"

Elijah hugged her tight, practically retreating to her.

Both - as did the rest in the compound - had made the mistake to believe that it was all over. That they had finally taken back their city and defeated their enemies.

Because somewhere under the bridge's water, Marcel had re-awakened as the true beast the prophecy had foretold.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

So, yeah, I combined the two episodes together. Apart they would have been really short and I hate doing that honestly, buuuuuut...Marlenie. Is. Still. Alive. How about that? I firmly believe this was the way Cami should have ended up in the show because the writers just severely messed up with her death. I could not do the same so yeah, I aimed to 'kill' Marlenie off and then surprise you guys in the next chapter. What did you think? ;)

 _ **For the Reviews:**_

Surpriiiiiiiiise she's not dead! Are you happy? And she'll definitely be back for the next story so you'll see her again! And thank you for your compliments!

You know, that is such an interesting plot that I never saw as I wrote this. Obviously, with her being actually alive I can't do that anymore but maybe I can do that for a next story? **starts drafting**

* * *

So, like...the next chapter...is the _last_ one. Are we ready for that?


	18. Come Back to Me

"What better life might have awaited you, were another man your father? All those who have loved me, have lived to regret it. But I do know this, my littlest wolf, I will do right by you."

Those were the words young Hope was greeted with in the morning by her father.

Someone cleared their throat at the threshold of the room, but Klaus was not surprised to find Maleny there. "Wow," she stepped in, "it's only morning but somehow you have made me feel this big," she made a gesture of a tiny space between her index finger and her thumb. "I will never regret loving you," she added after a moment, dead serious.

"How far we have come from being just the girl and boy from a ratty village," Klaus mused, pausing to really think about those simpler moments.

"Beautiful moments - most of the time," Maleny agreed as she came up to him and Hope, "but if we had stayed there we wouldn't have Nicolas, Marlenie, and Hope. Elijah would have never found Cami."

At the mention of his brother's name, Klaus looked away.

"Hope, how's about we start lecturing your father, hm?" She took the toddler into her arms and then gave Klaus a warning smile. "Do you want sit for this, or…?"

"I'm not for humor today, Maleny," he warned back.

"Neither am I," she replied just as serious. "I don't mean to point fingers but I think you have done your fair share of atrocities that have hurt Elijah as well. Yes, what he did was horrible, and I know how much Marcel meant to you, but had you witnessed what he saw through Freya's visions and seen it unfold before your eyes...would you have not done the same?"

Klaus gave her a look, and Maleny raised her eyebrows and waited for him to admit she was right.

"C'mon then, my village boy, will you stand there and tell me I'm wrong?" Maleny continued to challenge, but never did she receive her answer.

~0~

Cami woke up to the sounds of shuffling in her bedroom. As she sat up, she began to remember all of yesterday and last night. "Elijah?"she caught him moving one of her chairs with a couple of her jackets over it. Elijah looked over with a soft smile, and moved over to her. "What were you doing?" she asked.

"I went to get changed, that's all," he helped her stand up but kept her in his arms. "Thank you, for last night…"

Cami nodded. "Yeah, yeah, don't, uh, don't worry…" Was she treating that too casual? Oh God, maybe she was and she shouldn't be. Or, maybe she was just making a big deal out of nothing. Nothing had happened, after all, they just laid together...that was meant to be casual right?

Outside, Elijah couldn't imagine what was going on through her mind. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, smiling afterwards. "Perhaps, I could properly thank you tonight...dinner, maybe?"

"Y-yes," Cami could easily come up with that answer. "Definitely yes."

~ 0 ~

Kol was getting used to seeing his sister Freya work endlessly over spells in their livingroom upstairs. "You said the Prophecy was over, so what are you worrying over now?" he asked.

Freya continued fervently working. "I didn't sleep last night. I just had this feeling of dread. I don't know if it's my own guilt or maybe, it's my intuition telling me something's coming."

Kol came to look at the map they had once used to locate Klaus' enemies and could only imagine what Freya intended on using it for now. "And what's this? Your early warning system?"

"This map is spelled to trace Niklaus's enemies. Let's just hope I'm being paranoid." Freya chanted the spell that would show them where all of Klaus' enemies were at the moment, and to their horror they saw that numbers had increased and were all heading for the Quarter.

Even Kol was surprised to see the numbers. "I guess you're not being paranoid, when there is, in fact, a hoard of killers there to get you."

~ 0 ~

The newly revived - and very upgraded - Marcel stood in front of Davina's tomb in the cemetery that was still recovering from the massive blows it took the previous night.

"All this was you?" he asked once he felt Vincent's presence behind him.

"No, the idea belonged to Nicolas Mikaelson who had made a deal with Davina. It was carried on by Maleny and Cami, but the final blow? That was all Davina Claire," Vincent finished with a smirk. "She's the one that made sure the Ancestors were gone for good. It's the last thing she did."

Marcel nodded. "That means you've done your part. That just leaves me to do mine."

"Are you sure you can?"

Marcel turned around to face the man, and his doubt, headon. "Am I sure I can? The whole point of me taking Lucien's serum was so I'd have the power to deal with The Mikaelsons."

"Marcel, there's a big difference between having the power and actually _using_ the power to kill somebody. And these people were your family."

"They were my family. Do you know why I even bothered pretending like I hadn't already taken the serum? I needed to see how my family would react. Elijah killed me in cold blood. Yeah, so whatever happens next, they've earned it."

Vincent then frowned. "Did the people of New Orleans earned it too? 'Cause I've been hearing the rumors about vampires, just flocking into town, and it looks to me you're dead set on starting a war. And I need to know what happens to the innocent people, when they get caught in the crossfire of that. Now, you got to promise me you're gonna do what's right for the people of this city."

"That's exactly what I'm gonna do," Marcel did indeed promise that.

~ 0 ~

Freya had continued to perform the spell hoping to get a clear number of vampires heading their way. Suddenly, she felt she was no longer alone in the room. A female vampire super sped into the room and scratched Freya on the neck with a poisonous ring. Freya gasped and clapped a hand over it, turning around fast.

~ 0 ~

The three remaining brothers heard a commotion from the front gates and rushed to see a crowd of vampires closing in on them. However, all their attention was taken away by Marcel who so grandly walked into the building like nothing.

"Never thought it would come to this. But as always, The Mikaelsons made my choice for me."

Klaus was just stunned, stupefied, to see Marcel standing before them. "Marcel, how?"

"How are we in your home? I've friends who can nullify a deed, foreclose on a property like that-" Marcel snapped his fingers, "-or did you mean..how am I not a rotting corpse?"

"I thought my friend was dead, and yet here you are. So send these fools away, and let's talk. You and me."

Marcel raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Is that relief I hear? Really? If I hadn't been one step ahead of you, I would be at the bottom of the river."

Elijah moved forwards. "Marcel, your anger is with me. I'm the one that's responsible for this crime against you."

"One thing I learned sticking around this family, Elijah, you take on one of you, you are taking on _all_ of you. These guys-" Marcel gestured to the group of vampires, "-Klaus's sirelings, they're here to bear witness today."

Kol was now the amused one. "Are you planning to put on a little show, Marcellus?"

Marcel took him on with grim seriousness. "Damned sure I am. The Fall of The Mikaelsons. And guess what, the show has already started."

~ 0 ~

Upstairs, Freya was losing against the poison slowly invading her body. Her legs buckled and she tried in vain to use the table as a support to stay standing. The female vampire simply watched her with satisfaction but it didn't last long when someone pulled her heart right out from her.

Hayley stood behind and let the woman's heart fall to the floor. She quickly hurried to help Freya back on her feet. "What did they do to you?"

"Poison," Freya answered in a breathy voice.

Cami sped in holding baby Hope in her arms, Maleny a moment afterwards. "They're in the compound," Maleny spoke in a hushed tone. "Everywhere. They're everywhere."

Hayley looked down at Freya who was growing paler by the second. "We need to get you out of here."

Another vampire entered the room keen on getting all of them. Maleny wasted no time and acted, snapping the stranger woman's neck. "I don't do pulling hearts out," she said after a moment.

The three hurried on out towards Hayley's old apartment across the street. With everyone so focused downstairs in the courtyard, it was easy getting out.

"The Prophecy is coming true," Freya spoke in groans as she was laid on the couch of the new apartment. "This is the day Lucien said would come."

"It can't be, there has to be another way out of this," Hayley said, looking at the two blondes with her for more ideas. Hayley knelt down beside Freya, offering her bitten wrist. "Here, drink. It won't cure you, but it will help you."

"Wait," Maleny spoke up, "Lucien has to have an antidote to the poison in his penthouse."

Freya sighed. "Even if I was cured, the power I used to fight Lucien, it's gone. There's nothing that can stop Marcel now."

"Maybe there can be _someone_ who can fight," Cami theorized and looked at them with a crooked smile.

~ 0 ~

"I know you're hurt. I loved Davina, too. And it would break her heart to see you like this," Kol was trying a new tactic on Marcel seeing their numbers were pretty low.

"Don't mention her name," Marcel snapped. "If it weren't for you, she'd still be alive."

Kol moved closer and scowled. "But she's not. This is an insult to her memory."

Marcel didn't listen and threw a punch at Kol. Kol stumbled back with incredible force, indicating Marcel's newest strength. However, Kol was never one to take a fight and leave it. He retaliated with his own punch only to have Marcel seize him and bite him. Easily done, Marcel snapped Kol's neck and let him fall to the ground.

"Kol!" Klaus exclaimed in horror.

Elijah moved forwards to fight Marcel as well, and eventually Klaus joined as well. Marcel kicked Elijah away for a moment to deal with Klaus who managed a couple of punches before Marcel struck with a super-strength punch. Klaus was thrown into the wall behind him. As Elijah came back Marcel swiftly grabbed him by the arm and bit him as well.

Klaus pulled himself together in time to see Marcel throwing Elijah across the courtyard. Furious beyond belief, his hybrid features came to show across his face and charged for Marcel…

...but Rebekah Mikaelson came cut in between the two men. "STOP!"

"Rebekah," Marcel was genuinely stunned to see the blonde woman.

Rebekah ignored him for the moment as he told Klaus, "Maleny, Cami and Hayley have Freya and Hope. Take our brothers and go now. Marcel will not hurt me." She threw a warning look at Marcel. "Not, if he knows what's good for him."

Klaus backed off to retrieve his brothers and indeed leave the place.

Rebekah checked her wrist that still bore the gruesome symbol of her still on-going curse. "I've only got a short while before I go mad. So your explanation better be quick and it better be good," she warned the still surprised Marcel.

~ 0 ~

Maleny fervently searched through Lucien's many trunks within his penthouse. "Ugh!" she groaned, exasperated. "I can't find them!"

"Maybe we can check over here-" Cami had barely begun to suggest when Maleny shook her head.

"No, it's not where it's meant to be! And believe me, I know where he had all his things," Maleny walked back into the living room where Freya laid on a sofa. "Courtesy of my stay with man."

Cami crinkled her nose behind her, as did Hayley.

"If we can't find the cure, I _will_ die," Freya sucked in a breath.

Suddenly, the doors burst open and in came Klaus and Elijah helping a weakened Kol between them.

Cami was quick to see Elijah's bitten arm and gasped. "Elijah!"

"Don't," warned the man, "We deal with it later."

Freya quickly moved out of the way so that Kol could rest on the sofa.

"I'm going to die," Kol said in a gasp.

"You're not going to die," Klaus almost snapped at him.

"Now that sounds familiar. Isn't that what you said to Finn and Marlenie?" Kol responded in a light chuckle.

"Look, Lucien engineered his venom from the seven werewolf packs, so maybe, that's the key to a cure," Klaus threw out his suggestion to the room.

"Well it's not here," Maleny crossed her arms. "I can guarantee you that."

"Great, we have the first piece of a puzzle none of us will be alive to solve," Freya shook her head. "I'm poisoned, Rebekah is hexed, and our brothers are bitten. We need three different cures to three different ailments, each of which could take years to find, and none of us will make it through the day."

"No!" Maleny sighed. "I-I'm going to look again for some sort of antidote..." she hurried into the hallway.

Hayley came out of the kitchen with a towel in hand which she brought to Kol. He was covering his forehead at the moment but quickly snatched the towel from him. "You know, maybe it's fair that we pay for what was done to Davina."

"No, Davina didn't want revenge, okay?" Hayley reminded him but looking back at Freya she could still see the guilt.

Kol shook his head, agitated from the pain and heat he now felt. "Just put me out of my misery! At least put me to bloody sleep!"

Freya's eyes widened as an idea popped into her head.

~ 0 ~

Cami felt completely useless as she tried helping Elijah feel just a little more comfortable. But he had also succumbed under the fatal bite's first symptom of fever. "Just...just tell me what I can get for you," she resorted to just asking him. She bent down beside his chair, waiting for his requests.

Elijah wasn't all the way there anymore to begin with, so he just shook his head and said what he had to before he fell out of it completely. "You need to go, Camille. Do me that favor. Marcel...will let you leave the city," he swallowed hard, "Go."

"I don't care how bad it gets, I'm not going anywhere. I thought we went over it," Cami answered with a small smile.

Elijah stared at her for a long while, making Cami feel awkward under his gaze that still somehow managed to remain strong. "I never deserved you," he whispered.

Cami's smile faded and was replaced by a softened expression. She leaned closer, rubbing his arms and kissing his forehead.

~ 0 ~

Seeing Rebekah's call registering on his cellphone, Klaus quickly answered it. "What is it!?" he quickly asked.

"There's an army of your sirelings eager for blood. Marcel has them set to tear apart the city to find you, but after a brief chat, he's considered an alternative," Rebekah paused to sigh, "Though I think it might be worse. He wants you to come back here and stand trial for your sins."

Klaus scoffed. "Before a jury of those who hate me the most? Like hell I will."

Rebekah was not surprised of that response. "If you don't, this mob will hunt you down. And given their current frenzy, I can't imagine they'll show any mercy to you or anyone standing in their way."

Klaus hung up and looked at Kol on the couch who was getting more and more rowdy as the hallucinations began to take effect. Freya herself looked weaker by the minutes but she fiercely scribbled across a set of papers. Elijah looked no better. In another part of the room he could still hear Hope crying and Hayley trying to calm her down. Finally, he could hear Maleny having a very heated discussion with Nicolas on the phone.

"It's not a trial. This is suicide," Elijah warned him after seeing him think on the proposition. "You need to get the hell out of the city."

"No," Hayley was the one to tell him as she walked into the living room. "No one is leaving anyone behind, got that?" she pointed at each and every single one.

"No! Davina please! No, don't leave me!" Kol shouted frantically, truly believing he was seeing Davina again.

Freya finally looked up from her work. "There may be a way to save them."

"Then I will move the world to make it so," Klaus promised her.

"I need time," warned Freya. "It will be a spell like Marlenie's, but...accommodating _all_ of our conditions into one. I need time to prepare the spell."

"And you think I should stand trial before that death-dealing mob?"

"Well, that's the easy part. In order to save your family, you need to come out of that trial _alive_. Because this time, _you_ will need to serve as our anchor."

"But he can't," Cami straightened up. "Marcel _wants_ him dead. He goes into that compound there is no guarantee he will make it out."

But in those very words Klaus got out an idea. "Maybe that's the point - I _don't_ make it out. I stay _in_." His eyes remained on Freya. "I stay until...you can find your cures."

Freya pursed her lips, knowing what that would mean for them all, and specifically some.

~ 0 ~

"No, you're not listening Nicolas, there _isn't_ time," Maleny couldn't help snap at her son for about the tenth time. She was pacing back and forth in one of the rooms. "Your uncles are dying from the bite, Freya has been poisoned with some sort of venom - I don't know - and Rebekah's curse is coming back, and stronger. We need-"

But in a snap her phone had been snatched from her hands. She turned around to see Klaus taking the phone for a moment to speak himself. "Take care of your sister, and if need to, your mother. I love you."

Maleny's eyebrows knitted together as he hung up and left the phone over the nearby table. "What was that?" she immediately asked.

"We have come up with a plan," Klaus declared, ignoring her question. But her look remained fixated on him, expecting him to answer her directly without any excess words. "Freya plans to accomodate the spell placed on Marlenie to fit our family's newest ailments."

"Well...that's great," Maleny said, slowly processing, "But...there still needs to be an anchor. I doubt Evie can handle so many…" but of course the click in her mind came before she could finish her words. She looked to the side, berating herself for not thinking before. "Of course. _You_ volunteered."

"It was the only way-"

"No!" Maleny backed away the moment he tried getting closer to her.

"Maleny-"

"No! You can't do that-"

"Maleny it's the only way-"

"-Marcel will _kill_ you!" she frantically shouted, disregarding the fact that everyone else in the apartment could hear her. She didn't care. All she knew was that Klaus was walking into a death trap.

"Not if I play my cards right-"

Maleny bitterly laughed. " _That_ is supposed to make me feel better? _If_ you play your cards right? No! I...I can't…" she trailed off as her emotions began besting her.

Klaus was finally able to take her into his arms. It was no easy task doing what he had been assigned to, but he had to do it. He was the only one. "It's difficult, but...for our family...we have to, Mal."

"Let me come with you," she pleaded, but promptly received a shake of the head.

"You need to stay here with Hayley and Cami, because when Freya finishes her spell they will be out cold and you will need to leave the city."

Maleny's eyes widened in horror.

"It's going to rest with you to help us out," Klaus finished through, lightly smiling. "I'm going to need you to save _me_ now."

"I can't do that…" Maleny said, fearfully. "I couldn't even pull out a heart today."

"I know you can, and I know that you will take care of Hope with Hayley, and that you will find a way to bring back our daughter."

Maleny sniffled. "Don't…"

"But before I go-"

"No…" she pleaded, gripping his arms like it would make a difference.

But this time Klaus ignored her in favor of bringing up a subject he actually had wanted to touch on for sometime, but just never had the right moment. This wasn't the precise moment either but...should he truly die today, he wanted her to know.

"Do you remember a while back when Lucien and Aurora managed to capture me?"

"How could I forget," Maleny playfully rolled her eyes. "You've yet to fully explain yourself to me about that."

"Then let me do that now," he pushed some of her hair behind her shoulder. He dropped his hands to hers, gripping them. "I've lived a thousand years but only you have managed to make a difference in me...in my life. Ever since we were just humans in our village, you had something, something that caught my eye. The girl in the forest-" he stopped to muse, "-you are truly _my_ girl. I actually had plans back then, I had…" he smiled, looking embarrassed which was novelty for Maleny, "...ideas, that we would one day be married and have our children. I wasn't good at it, but I told myself that with you I _would_ be a better man than Mikael ever was. I would be a better husband."

"You would have been," Maleny softly smiled. "I've no doubt about that."

"I don't know what's going to happen today, but if I don't manage to pull it off...then I at least want you to know that I would have liked to do it; be your husband."

Maleny's breath caught in her throat when Klaus bent down to get on one knee. "You don't do that…" she managed to say, albeit in a frail whisper.

"You make me do a lot of things," Klaus genuinely smiled. "Since we were humans - just one more of your powers." He pulled out a small box from within his jacket's pocket. "I found out that day, that the Quarter has a very limited supply of jewelry stores, but I promise you that if we make it, you will have a dignified ring."

Because inside that box was a proper engagement ring neatly tucked over a velvet cushion.

Maleny's mouth opened but her mind was too rapid to confirm a proper sentence. "You went out...risked your life...for a _ring_ …?"

Klaus nodded. "For _you_. Because I...I want to know...will you marry me? In some future after all this...will you marry me?"

Maleny face broke into a smile, and as she nodded fiercely she managed to answer, "Yes! Of course, yes!" she watched as Klaus slid the ring down her finger and couldn't actually believe that had happened.

When Klaus got back on his feet, he cupped her face and kissed her. He kissed her senseless, knowing that...it would be a very long time until he got another one. It could very well be the last one he would ever get.

"You can't be late," Maleny whispered afterwards. "I'm going to be waiting for you."

"I will honestly try my best," Klaus promised her. "In the end, all I wish is to come back to you, wherever you are."

"As do I," Maleny kept her arms around his neck. "As long as we're under the same stars, we'll find each other again."

Klaus nodded, taking a moment to just stare at her, to remember her face. "...I love you."

"I love you," Maleny managed to say before her tears fell.

And the two shared a last kiss before it was truly time to go.

~0~

Rebekah waited for Klaus to arrive at the compound just outside. There were plenty of his sireline eagerly waiting to see the famous trial he was set to do. She was properly scared, and that rarely happened anymore.

"Are you ready?" she asked as soon as Klaus walked in.

Klaus took her wrist and saw the skull symbolizing her curse was beginning to bleed a bit. "Are you?" he countered cautiously.

Rebekah gave a small nod. "For Freya's plan to work, I can't go mad and you can't die. What are the bloody odds of that?"

Course the odds were against them, but Klaus was never one to give in at the first time. "Wasn't it you who once said I could talk my way out of hell?"

Rebekah couldn't help smile in return. Still, they had to leave their small, quiet place to enter the devil's cave. The crowd of vampires had been spread around the courtyard, leaving no space for any escape.

Marcel stood at the front, across the two siblings, expecting their presence. "The great Klaus Mikaelson has decided to grace us with his presence."

"I have nothing to hide, Marcel," countered Klaus, who, despite his anxiousness, remained completely at ease on the outside. "You wish to put me on trial for my many grievous sins. Well, go on. Have at it."

And so, just as a trial - a supernatural one anyways - would proceed, the one standing for the trial was moved to a makeshift box that could serve as a platform for Klaus to stand on and thus be viewed by everyone in the room.

"Klaus Mikaelson. Sire to a thousand years' worth of angry faces. How does it feel to be this hated?" Marcel gestured to the room. "Go on. Look at them. I said, look at them! They're all yours, after all." He pointed to a nearby man who did indeed have a death glare for the hybrid. "Do you remember him? 1694. His wife accused Rebekah of witch craft. So you turned him and then compelled him to drain his wife dry." He then moved on to another man across. "Or this man. He was a simple farmer. In 1745, he made the mistake of owning land that you wanted. You could' ve easily taken it. Instead, you turned him and then made him burn his entire village to the ground." Last for example, he pointed to a young-looking woman. Or this woman. 1891. Her mother had pneumonia. Coughed all through the night. You got annoyed. So you turned them both, and made her watch as you burned her mother alive."

Klaus rolled her eyes. It really meant nothing for him but a plain review. "Yes yes yes, my sins were terrible indeed. But they taught the world to fear me, and that fear protected my family."

Marcel warningly pointed at him to stop. "Don't preach to me about family! I was

"I could've left you nameless and alone, but I didn't. I took you and I made you all that you are."

"I guess you made everyone here. Made us all in your image," Marcel agreed. "Angry...paranoid...merciless. Why? Why even bother siring us? Were you afraid to be alone? Was that it? Did you want to make something so vile and disgusting, like you? In the end, the reason doesn't matter. You made us, you abandoned us, and anyone who dared stand up for themselves, you took away everything that we loved. Because that is what you do! And for that you must pay."

Klaus exchanged silent looks with Rebekah, their odds suddenly looking even worse than before.

~ 0 ~

Maleny tried taking care of Kol who was growing worse with his deliriums. "No! Don't hurt her!" and he swatted Maleny's hands away from him.

She sighed and tried getting him to stay still. "Kol, it's Mal, please!"

"Don't hurt her, Davina!"

"Calm down, calm down, okay?"

"Davina is gone. She's gone!"

"Look, Davina's gone now. She's in peace."

Kol breathed heavily and shook his head, continuing his rambles and pushing her away.

"Oh my God, I give up!" Maleny left him for a bit and looked over to Freya who was fiercely working on the kitchen table. She was scribbling down what she needed to perform the spell that would link them to the same spell Marlenie was under. On the phone - Maleny's phone - she was conversing with Amarrah to make sure everything was going fine.

"How's she doing?" Hayley walked in from the hallway. She had just helped Cami move Elijah into one of the rooms seeing he was also getting worse. Last thing they wanted was for the two brothers to get into some quarrel when they weren't themselves. Hope had fallen asleep - finally - and was placed in the second room.

"Not good either," Maleny admitted. "If she doesn't get the spell soon, and if Klaus can't figure out a way to become...the anchor...they're all going to die."

Hayley set a comforting hand on Maleny's arm. "We'll figure it out, we always do."

~ 0 ~

"Enough!" Rebekah's shout cut through the cheering of the crowd. "You will not condemn my brother before I have had a chance to speak on his behalf."

Marcel laughed in plain amusement. "You want to speak? All right. Go ahead."

Rebekah eyed him wearily. "You accuse my brother of unjust retaliation. Of killing your loved ones. But how is he any different from any of you?" she directed for the crowd. "The strong fight to determine who is strongest, and my brother is strong! Yes, he fights for power, as do all of you. But his first instinct is to defend his blood, as you act to avenge yours. You say he is guilty, but I ask you, would anyone here do any less?"

Marcel arched an eyebrow. " _That's_ your argument? All's fair, in defense of the family? Hmm. Thing is, Rebekah, I seem to recall he punished you, his sister, for no other reason than fear that you might love someone more than him."

"We have been together for a millennium. We were bound to have a few tiffs."

"Was it a "tiff' when he daggered you for loving me? Was that justice? Or when he exiled you from the Quarter? From your family? From me?"

Rebekah's wrist began to burn her skin, and she felt a bit dizzy. She knew the hex would soon take full effect again. She had to do this quick.

"You hate him," Marcel moved for her, unaware of her shifting emotions. "You hate him as much as anybody here, maybe even more, given how long he has made you suffer."

Suddenly, she portrayed rage of a ripper vampire, although her eyes remained the same. "You know what, Marcel, you are right." She turned for one side of the crowd. "You see, I haven't been entirely honest. Perhaps, it's time to tell the brutal truth about my dear brother Klaus Mikaelson. Yes he is my brother, and I have loved him through the ages. But no one has felt the blunt end of his ire more than I. He claims that his actions are in defense of his family, but he lies!"

"Rebekah, you're not well! The curse has poisoned your mind," Klaus cut in, truly seeing her go on a tangent.

"Let her speak!" Marcel shushed him.

"Yes Nik, I would like to speak," Rebekah nodded. "Although, when I speak out of turn, I often end up with a dagger in my chest. You see, my brother, he cannot handle the brutal truth that he destroys everything he touches." She violently pointed at Klaus. "You murdered our mother, and both of your fathers. You dagger your siblings and leave us in coffins for decades! You break our hearts, you forbid us from finding love, all because you couldn't find any love of your own. I am envious of all of you," she lowered her finger and looked at the rest, "You have broken free from him. But I have had no such relief. Chained to him, not because of a sire link, but because of a foolish pact that we made to each other, when we were nothing more than children. What if he could suffer the way I have? The way that we all have!"

Marcel was satisfied to see Rebekah had come to her senses. "Well...I think we've heard enough. Have you come to a decision?"

The crowd responded by chanting 'kill him' over and over.

~ 0 ~

"I think you need a blanket," Cami concluded as she saw Elijah continue to shiver. She barely got off the bed when she felt him grab her wrist.

"I had a dream," he said, but Cami knew he mind was beginning to slip, "And I saw you. You were mad I think…" curious of what he had to say, Cami sat back down beside him and let him continue, "You were playing a game...there were cards and...I think I made you mad…"

Cami smiled sadly. "We were playing trivial pursuit and you were supposed to be letting me win. But I wasn't mad, don't worry about that."

For a moment, it looked like the clouds had cleared from his eyes and he was now speaking as himself. "If Niklaus doesn't make it-"

"He's going to make it," Cami interjected, assuring him. "He has many people to come back to, remember?"

"Listen to me," Elijah reached for her hand, gripping it with the force he had left, "I failed you from the beginning to the end, but...know that I loved you. And I want you to be happy."

Cami's eyes watered a bit, but she stayed strong for him. "I _will_ be happy, because when you wake up again we're going to go on that date you promised me," she leaned forwards, stroking the side of his face, "And we're going to spend it nice. We're going to play more chess games where you'll pretend to lose against me just so that I can be happy." She gave a brief smile and pressed her lips against his for a kiss.

~ 0 ~

"Enough!" this time it was Klaus to shout for silence among the crowd. "I'm disappointed in you, Marcellus. Using my poor, impaired sister to propagate your vitriol. It's hardly the mark of a true leader, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh please, you want the last word? Take it," Marcel gestured. "Then we can finish this."

And so, Klaus took his last chance with great determination. "Look at you. Outraged over the loss of Davina. She who routinely betrayed my family," he jumped off the box he'd been forced to stand on and calmly walked over to Marcel, "And in the end, defied even you. Perhaps...you should have warned her what befalls those who cross me. Maybe...what happened to her was your fault. No matter. Davina's death did help defeat Lucien, so I suppose you could say the little witch did finally prove herself to be of some minute worth. And as for you lot…" he glanced at the crowd, "...yes…" he started pointing to each of the vampires Marcel had pointed out earlier, "I murdered your loved ones! I killed your harlot. I rid the world of your slum. And I freed you from your decrepit mother. So, what of it? Each and every one stands here today, because I willed it to be so. This mockery of a trial is allowed only because of me. And your very immortality is a gift...from me. A debt that you can never repay. One that far offsets all my supposed crimes. I...owe..you..nothing. So, go on! Kill me! I welcome the peace of death as a reprieve from this tedium. I will die suffering but a taste of the agony I have inflicted upon all of you. The scales remain in my favor. And in the end, you will all know that I won. You will remember me, Klaus Mikaelson...your maker."

It was then that Rebekah broke into shouts. "Death is too good for him! You have the means to make him suffer. Let that be his fate!"

The crowd agreed her within the next minute. "Torture him! Torture him!"

Marcel, too, seemed pleased with the results of the trial. "Justice...for Klaus Mikaelson...should be a fate worse than death," he revealed to own the old Papa Tunde's blade. "This blade is imbued with dark magic. It will cause unending agony. All the pain that we have felt at the hands of this man will pale in comparison to what he will soon feel for as long as I decide to let him live."

Klaus was taken ahold by several of the sirelings, and he allowed himself to be.

Marcel raised the blade. "For Davina, Diego, Thierry, Gia, and the boy I used to be. The one you once called your son." He drove the blade into Klaus' chest, the hybrid taking it with a roaring scream of agony.

Rebekah watched it all and then quickly walked away.

~ 0 ~

Maleny's cellphone had finally been put to rest after Freya finished speaking with Amarrah, and for some part Nicolas. It began to ring once again, but this time with Rebekah's old number. Maleny seized it after the very first ring.

"Rebekah!?" she panicked easily.

"Nik found a way to stay alive," Rebekah informed her. She had retreated to Hayley's apartment where no other vampires except for them could enter. "Our plan worked. Now it's up to you, Hayley, and Cami. Make his sacrifice count."

Maleny's heart no longer beated rapidly, but it was constricted of terrible fear for what laid ahead, and for how much suffering she knew Klaus would be under. "We will, I swear," Maleny said quietly. "We'll come for you soon, okay?"

The remaining Mikaelson siblings were gathered around the kitchen table. A paper with their names were placed in front of them.

"Rebekah's dagger," Freya moved said dagger to the empty spot meant for Rebekah, "It has her blood."

"How is this going to work now?" Maleny asked quietly, moving closer to the witch while Hayley and Cami also did the same.

"We're going to be asleep, just like Marlenie," Freya began to explain, making sure they all udnerstood. This was the last time she was going to be doing any talking. "We'll be safe. But listen," she now addressed the three remaining women, "I left instructions on how to find the cures. Wake me up first so that I can do the cure spell. Do not let Nicolas do this on his own or I will personally make sure he gets punished afterwards."

Maleny nodded, as did the other two.

Freya sighed, now looking at Maleny only. "He's coming back - Nicolas is coming to help you."

Maleny didn't know how to take that, but there wasn't time to think about it. Freya instructed her brothers to hold hands with her and with each other. She alone conducted the spell. The three Mikaelsons slumped forwards as their bodies were left unconscious.

"I hate sleeping spells," Maleny whispered angrily, but it was overruled by her tears.

~ 0 ~

Retrieving Rebekah's body from Hayley's apartment turned out to be easier than believed. Hayley had gone and as she did, she could hear from there that the compound was being destroyed and could only wonder where it was Marcel was going to decide to keep Klaus in. She didn't want to think too much and just quickly took Rebekah away.

"All of our dark objects," Cami sighed as she and Maleny set the last of the coffins keeping the Mikaelsons into the back of the truck they had, well, stolen. "They could have probably helped us…"

Maleny, too, lamented that most of their things had remained in the compound. "We're going to find things, we're going to," she promised and watched as Cami stared at the last coffin placed in the truck. "We're going to bring him back," she said, knowing how difficult it was for her.

Cami tore her eyes from Elijah's coffin and looked back at Maleny, giving a small nod. "We are." Her eyes drifted to the shiny engagement ring on Maleny's finger, and smiled a little. "And you are going to get that traded in for a wedding band. Watch."

Maleny smiled to herself, sadly, but nonetheless smiled. She reached to get the truck's lid closed. "I'm coming back to him, and he's coming back to me. I make that promise for myself, for Hope, and our children. Marcel can be damned."

Hayley finished settling Hope in her seatbelt up in the front of the truck when the two blondes came by. "Ready," she told them.

"Ready," Cami nodded.

Hayley took the driver's seat and Cami the passenger's. Maleny sat beside Hope, fixing the toddler's pink, fluffy jacket for her. Her eyes lowered to the folded letter Klaus had left behind for the girl, still closed. She wiped away some tears from her eyes and looked away.

~ 0 ~

A tall, black-haired woman, dressed in white, watched the wind blow a swirl of leaves with mild confusion written across her face, but still overall peaceful.

"You'll have company now," she heard a voice behind her.

Marlenie Mikaelson turned halfways, the mild confusion increasing as she saw her aunts Freya and Rebekah and uncles Elijah and Kol standing there.

Freya stepped forwards, deducing the woman was far too confused to speak. "Things have happened...and we're all going to be here for a while. I managed to siphon part of the spell used on you. Evie is linked to you, as Klaus is linked to the rest of us-" Marlenie's eyes widened, "-but we can all live in the same world to keep each other company."

Marlenie's eyes flickered from one aunt to the next uncle, and so on. "My father…" she spoke her first words.

"Has saved us all," Rebekah finished for her. "Your mother and Hayley and Cami are going to find cures for us all."

"And...and you'll be here...with _me_?" Marlenie asked quietly, eyes filling with tears.

"Not exactly what I was expecting, but I guess beggars can't be choosers," Kol said off to the side, but Marlenie just laughed. Elijah still sent a warning look for the younger Mikaelson to stay on his best behavior.

She rushed towards them, hugging whoever was closest, which turned out to be Freya. "I've been so lonely!"

"No more," Freya promised her, hugging her back.

Marlenie stepped back and looked at the rest. "My Mum…"

"She's fine," Elijah told her. "She's going to save you. She and the rest."

Marlenie nodded, taking what little she had. She sniffled and hugged the rest of her family, her mind unable to stop thinking what had happened in the real world that her father had to succumb to the idea of becoming an anchor.

But there was going to be plenty of time for a full explanation.

~ 0 ~

Outside in the real world, Marcel had taken to the idea of bricking Klaus in one of the tombs of the Quarter's cemetery - at least for the meanwhile. The hybrid was unable to speak, nor move for that matter, but his eyes held all the constant pain he was in from the blade still in his chest...as well as for his family that were once again on the run.

He knew, he _knew_ , that Maleny, Cami and Hayley would do everything in their power to bring his siblings back, and his daughter Marlenie.

In the end, they would come back to each other.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

To be continued in... _ **World Enough and Time**_.

And...we are done! I cried, to be honest, especially with that last shot of little Hope being taken away. But at least our uncured family is reunited with Marlenie - who'd been quite lonely for a while now - and we've got our power women Mal, Cami and Hayley on the job for cures!

 **For the reviews:**

Thank you! Hope you liked this last chapter!

I'm sorry but I laughed, harder than I probably should have xD. I mean, I'll take constructive criticism if you have something. I'm just glad that you're being civil about it because lately I've been struggling with plain rudeness on this site.

I refused to kill off my girl Marls xD. Killing off Cami, for me, was their biggest mistake ever like I can't process it still. Thanks for reading and I hope you liked this chapter! And maybe you'll like the next story! :)

* * *

Thank you to everyone who read this little story of mine and hope to see you guys on the next story which is already posted on my profile!


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